A Time to Fight
by Interface
Summary: This follows on from 'A Time to Love' - The Doctor is left alone after River's final farewell.  He has a lot of decisions to make.
1. Chapter 1

"Doctor you're really quiet"

Amy Pond's inquisitive voice piped up over the rumble of the Tardis.

"Amy I'm old... .Weary... But not to worry. I won't fall asleep at the wheel," he looked up at her with a casual smiled.

"Doctor there's... There's no wheel..."

"Well then there's nothing to worry about!"

He marched towards the Tardis doors and pulled them open roughly. His face fell. It was the fourth time this had happened. The Tardis was being extremely uncooperative. He'd attempted to land in every time imaginable and still the Tardis disobediently brought him here. With a long and frustrated sigh he stared out at the billions of stars before him.

"Wow Doctor that's really pretty...!" The red head exclaimed slipping under his arm to stand at the edge. Her gaze panned everywhere taking in this miraculous sight, "Doctor! Doctor look is that a planet down there?" she pointed below them; his eyes followed. It was a very white, smokey looking planet with mysterious dark patches plastered over it. The Doctor looked down at it with a mixture of anger and hurt. The Tardis kept bringing him here, "Can we have five minutes there? Please?"

"No," came the firm reply.

Amy continued to gaze at it leaning far out to get the best possible view.

"Stop looking at it. We aren't going..." he called from the console.

Amy pouted, folding her arms moodily as she nudged the doors shut with her foot, "Why?"

"Because..."

She followed him around the console, determined to get her visit to a planet, "What's down there?"

"... Books..."

"And why can't we go there?" she asked watching him tap in yet another set of coordinates. He didn't reply; just continued work the console with calculated movements, "Doctor... ," Holding the television rail she swung around the console after him, "What's down there?"

"Something dangerous"

"Dangerous? ... Like what?"

"Books. Millions... of books..."

"You think I'm going to _read _myself to death? Five minutes Doctor... Please?"

He stopped suddenly, his hand seemed to be shaking as he held onto a lever.

"Amy! We're not going to the Library!" he yelled fiercely. The sheer force behind his outburst nearly knocked the shocked Amy Pond over. She stared back at him; her eyes shone but she refused to cry.

"Take me home. Now" He voice shook. Realising what he'd done the Doctor tried to redeem himself.

"Amy I..."

"Now," she repeated turning her back to him. Biting his lip and with a sullen shake of his head he pulled the lever on which his hand had been resting. The Tardis burst into life.

* * *

Amy left the Tardis without a backward glance. What a grumpy man he could be. She'd never go with him again, ever! Even after slamming her front door and stomping up the stairs, in the back of her mind she knew he'd come back for her. Eventually. Sat on her bed she held a small model of 'The Raggedy Doctor' in her hand. Yes, he'd definitely come back for her.

The Doctor always came back... Didn't he?


	2. Chapter 2

He stood overlooking the planet as the Tardis orbited it dangerously. His jacket billowed in artificial breeze created and his hair flew wildly about. Together they were formidable. Fierce and untameable. Wild and unstoppable. They were known and feared by every being in the universe. Every time and every space bowed down to him. The last of Time Lords... and his Tardis. He withdrew his screwdriver, tossed it into the air allowing multiple rotations before catching it swiftly. Arm outstretched he aimed down at the deadly silent planet below giving him a frightening green glow. He stared dangerous over the end of it; a dark smile now fell across his face.

'_You and me; Time and Space. You watch us run'_

Running was exactly what he had in mind. Lots and lots of running. From what exactly... He had no idea yet. Once he'd performed this act of sheer madness, it was inevitable that everyone would want a piece of the action. Time, he had always said, could be rewritten. Usually within your own time stream, but sometimes, you had to step on toes to get your own way. The Doctor rarely stood on toes. He rarely took real advantage of the Tardis, rarely got anything he really wanted. Well this time would be different, he was going to...

_Ring... Ring Ring... Ring Ring..._

He was going to...

_Ring ring!... Ring Ring!... Ring Ring!_

He was going to answer that damn phone. Without shutting the doors he marched over to the console and dragged the phone from its resting place. Despite his frustration he answered with a very casual,

"Hello? ... Yes of course it is... New voice... New face... Sorry... This is a very bad line... Who? ... Well when are you? ... I can be there before you can blink... No... Wait... Don't blink..."

He replaced the handset with a small clatter. Marching towards the open doorway he held his screwdriver out once more, pointing it down towards the Library planet. He clenched his teeth together in frustration before throwing his arm fiercely to rest at his side, "I'll be back!" he scowled pointing with his finger, "I'll be back..," frowning he pocketed his screwdriver, "I always come back..."

He turned away not completely satisfied with his attempt at being powerful and feared; but for now it would have to do. He shut the doors in a very businesslike manner before half jogging, half hopping up the slope to the console, "Now... Dear...," he said fondly looking up at the console unit, "We have a small errand to run... but we _will _come back. I promise..."

With a few sharp taps the coordinates were set. As he pulled the large lever down quickly the Doctor hoped that the Tardis would finally obey him.

For a long time now he'd felt strange. He'd started to feel things that he'd never felt before. Well... Things he'd never felt this strongly before. Rage... Sadness... The desperate feeling of loneliness. He was starting to feel human...

Even as he stepped from his Tardis and his trademark smile formed across his face he felt lost. Behind the bright eyes there was an emptiness which radiated not one trait of the man he used to be.

The man he still claimed to be...


	3. Chapter 3

"You rang.." the Doctor smiled clasping his hands together tightly. He'd been trying for a long time to control his extravagant hand gestures, this was the first time he'd actually remembered to do it. He'd tried before to occupy his hands with a cane... It had been swiftly removed from his possession by a very angry Amy Pond, whose head it had collided with in a moment of forgetfulness.

"Doctor!" the deep voice bellowed, "A new face! And a new box! It's been too long!"

The owner of the powerful voice was stood a mere five feet away. He was a burly man; stood just as tall as the Doctor yet twice as wide, due only to the incredibly large muscles he possessed. His chest bulged through the tight and very dirty cream vest he wore which gave the Doctor a very weedy look in comparison. He wore a thick brown leather belt from which hung various pouches and items including a large torch and climbing picks. His torn and mud stained jeans trailed down to lie over a pair of size eleven hiking boots, also coated with mud.

His name was Casey Denton.

The Doctor had encountered this man on only one previous occasion. Casey was a Tomb Raider and Relic Hunter. The Doctor had previously managed to recover a lost relic from this man's possession. Not without an elaborate struggle first of course. The 'Relic' in question, had been the Doctor's own Diary.

The two men stared at each other, neither one willing to break eye contact first. Naturally the Doctor dropped his stare first; he was far too old for mind games.

"Alright," he sighed, "Where is it?"

"Straight down to business eh Doctor... Same man... Exact same man... This way"

The Doctor proceeded to follow the Tomb Raider deep into their forest surroundings. He stumbled clumsily over twigs and branches, feeling quite inferior to Casey who strode deftly along, stomping down hard on the clutter of the forest floor.

It felt like a lifetime had passed before they reached an enormous mossy coated cliff face. The Doctor's ancient eyes examined it carefully before he shook his head in confusion,

"I don't see it..."

"It's right there Doctor," Casey pointed a large finger at the area of cliff face in front of them. The Doctor narrowed his eyes as he concentrated more carefully. Still unable to see the thing of interest he stepped forward and began to run his hand lightly over the uneven surface. As his hand came to rest on an unusually well sculpted rock it became clear. What he was looking had not been _in front_ of the cliff, it was a _part _of the cliff. Though he'd already had a gut feeling as to what he was dealing with, the shock of this discovery was still intense.

"So what do you think Doctor? Alien... Am I right?"

"Oh it's alien alright...," The Doctor took a step back to admire the embedded Angel in its entirety. It was almost hidden beneath green moss but it was unmistakably an Angel. It had its back to them, it's entire front and sides were a part of the cliff, hidden from sight, "It's called a Weeping Angel..."

"What's a Weeping Angel? ... Pricey?"

"Don't even think it. It's dangerous... the most dangerous of all creations... It shouldn't be touched... It shouldn't be moved..." The Doctor used his Sonic Screwdriver around the back of the Angel's head, "And for now... It can't hear us. It's embedded within the cliff," he pressed his hand flat against the natural rock beside it, "It thinks it's being looked at...," he added with a whisper pressing his cheek against the rock beside his hand. Casey watched him silently, his large arms folded across his chest.

"So what are we going to do with it?"

"_We_... Aren't doing anything... I need equipment from the Tardis. I'll be back in a moment! ... Don't touch the Angel!" The Doctor sprung into action and ran a lot less clumsily back through the trees towards the Tardis.

As he struggled with the key in the lock a loud, hair raising cry broke the silence. His eyes rose slowly up from the lock.

Now it had begun.


	4. Chapter 4

The Doctor turned slowly on the spot. His eyes were fixed, wide open. There was no way he could afford to blink.

_Blink and you're dead._

The twigs, dirt and stones crunched underneath his boots as he turned. The last thing he needed was to be killed by a Weeping Angel. The best he could hope for was to be transported to another time. At least there he would be able to find a way of summoning the Tardis. Hi hearts practically burst out of his chest. They pounded in his ears almost deafening him. The Doctor's eyes met finally with the thing that had so quickly caught up with him.

"Casey!" he cried, "Ohh... Don't do that!"

The Tomb Raider was as white as a sheet. He stared, wide eyed at the Doctor. His blonde hair stuck to his sweaty forehead. A complete cold sweat was upon him.

"Doctor..." he breathed, "Doctor... I ... I turned away for a second... Less than a second..."

"... And it moved..." the Doctor said simply finishing off the stammering man's sentence. Casey nodded silently. The Doctor turned back to the Tardis door, successfully turning the key in the lock, "Come on..."

The Doctor marched straight to the console leaving Casey stood frozen at the doorway. His eyes gazed around the Tardis' orangey interior; he stood in complete silence – stunned.

"Doctor it's..."

The Doctor glanced up briefly as he began to work.

"Doctor... It's bigger on the inside..."

"Yeah..." The Doctor was now distracted by what he could see on the console screen. The enjoyment he usually got from that statement was left forgotten. He pulled the screen towards him, his eyes narrowed. He lent closer, his hand pressed flat against the screen. No matter how much he wanted to he couldn't take his eyes off the image presented to him. Was he dreaming?

"River...?" he whispered watching her figure glide across towards the Tardis, "The Angel..." He had to let her in before it caught up with her. He had to save her. He darted suddenly past the huge rock of a man who had dared to approach the console. The Doctor rushed towards the Tardis doors, vaulting over a railing as he went.

"What is it?" Casey peered at the screen with interest. There was nothing outside but the Angel, "Doctor! No!"

Too late.

The Doctor tore the door open. He came face to face with the battered looking Angel.

Then he made the most ridiculous move he'd ever made in all his nine hundred years. He threw his arms up to shield his face, clenching his eyes shut tightly. He shook with fear. He didn't dare open his eyes now. This was where he would be killed, or worse, left to die in an unknown time.

'Death by Angel'

It didn't exactly have the most exciting ring to it.

'Extermination by Dalek'

Now that would be a way to go. It was the more exciting option at least. Though the last time he'd been shot by a Dalek it hadn't exactly been painless. Death by Angel would be the more comfortable way to die.

Had it happened already? He wasn't quite sure yet.


	5. Chapter 5

The Doctor's raised arms shook as he struggled to keep them there. A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek, his breathing – Deafened him. Opening one eye he dared to peek through the gap between his arms. The fierce looking Angel was inches away from him. Its hand was clenched tightly around his left cuff. The Doctor's head tilted in confusion. With his free hand he tapped its head with his screwdriver. A broad smile swept across his face.

"I've got your back Doctor," a deep voice growled from over his shoulder. The Doctor grinned into the Angels open mouth, his eyes taking in every single sharp tooth. He ripped his cuff out of its iron grip.

"It's a good job you do," he turned around. Casey's dark glare was fixed upon the Angel. The Doctor slid past him and into the Tardis. The Tomb Raider kept his eyes on the Angel as he backed inside, only removing his stare after he'd snapped the door shut. He flicked the latch on with a huge finger before rounding on the Doctor. He stormed up to the console.

"What was that about? ... Eh? ... Time Lord?"

The Doctor shook his head; leaning half defeated over the controls.

"I don't know..."

"... You don't know. Well that's just great isn't it..."

"I thought I saw someone out there..."

"Who?"

"Just... Just a friend... It must have been a trick of the light... my eyes... must be playing tricks on me"

"Doctor... Are you okay?"

The Doctor looked up, "I'm always okay," he replied simply. He paused, staring almost sadly at Casey before leaning over the controls once more, "Now," he stood up tall reaching up to tune the screen in; the picture sharpened up, "We know it's definitely a Weeping Angel"

On the screen the Angel could be seen right outside the Tardis doors.

"We're trapped in here... Trapped in a... in a _box_"

"Time Machine..." the Doctor corrected as he tapped the bell on the console. He reached for the type writer keys. The large man watched him intently.

"What are you doing?"

"You ask a lot of questions," the Doctor stopped and stared at him for a moment, "I'm going to do a thing..."

"You're going to do... a thing?"

"It's a thing in progress... Respect the thing"

The Tardis shuddered and the central column grinded slowly into its usual action; it broke into its familiar song.

"Doctor! We can't leave it there!"

"Really? Why not? Who put you in charge?" The Doctor moved around the console, glancing briefly at the screen before ending their quick hop through time and space with a sharp pull, "I need to see how the Angel got into that cliff. That was an ordinary piece of stone with a _very _unlikely creature stuck in the side of it... I need to know why... I have to know how"

With Casey close behind him they left the Tardis. Their surroundings looked dramatically different. The trees looked young and fresh, the floor was clear, the air felt somewhat lighter. The pair looked to each other, the Doctor's huge smile only mildly put Casey's mind at ease.

_Where was the Angel?_

"Come on! You won't want to miss this!" the Doctor cried taking off into the forest.

Casey watched him dart off out of sight. With a large hand he reached to grab an object stuffed into the back of his belt. He slid it out from its hiding place, nestled against his back. Removing the safety catch he transferred the pistol to the front of his person, tucking it into his tight waistband. Feeling slightly safer he took after the Doctor with loud rumbling footsteps.

From behind the Tardis a stone hand crept out to grab hold of the corner. The hint of a stone wing stuck out no more than an inch.


	6. Chapter 6

"HaHaa!" the Doctor cried throwing his arms up in the air, "I told you it would be something worth seeing!" he clasped his hands together as he turned to see Casey arriving to join him. The blinding white light erupting from the cliff face almost blinded him as he struggled to see the silhouetted Doctor.

"What is it?"

"This," the Doctor began waving his screwdriver over his shoulder; indicating to the light, "Is a crack in time and space... The end of the universe... If the light touches you you'll have never have been born... You will never have lived at all"

Casey shook his head in confusion, "How did it get there..? It wasn't there when we were here last..."

"It closed," came the simple reply, "When the universe restarted..."

Casey began to move towards the light.

"Don't! ... Don't go near it" The Doctor turned once more and instead moved towards the light himself. Kneeling down beside it he thrust his screwdriver in to take a reading from it, "Oooh," he murmured darkly, "... Very not good" He extended the screwdriver out to its full length, examining it again, "Absolutely very not good," He checked his watch hurriedly, "There's not much time. The crack will start to close... we've got minutes..." As he turned he froze.

The Angel had Casey in a head lock. For a brief moment images from the Byzantium flashed across his eyes. He recalled looking into Father Octavian's eyes, seconds before he too had his life taken by an Angel. The Doctor shook his head and burst into action. As he got closer he could see how badly damaged the Angel was. Cracked and scorched, barely alive as far as Angels go. Casey gasped and spluttered against its vice like grip.

"You're going to be fine... I'll get you out of this..." The Doctor began to use his screwdriver in short bursts up and down the Angel's arm.

"Leave me Doctor... I know... I know how this ends... Just leave me..."

"Casey... shut up... I'm thinking..." His all knowing eyes took in the Angel's damaged form. As he continued to work his screwdriver up and down its arm he was certain... very certain... that he could save this man from the grip of an Angel. There was a reason that Casey had survived the touch of an Angel, he was still here... not in another time or space.

He could be saved. Of that, the Doctor was certain.

"Doctor..." Casey whimpered, his face was red, sweat was dripping from him. His large arms gripped that of the Angel's tightly. He clung to it, as if his life depended on him maintaining a firm hold on his enemy. Struggling now not to blink the Doctor moved his gaze up to the Angel's face. He squinted at it suddenly... was that? ... Blue paint?

"Ohh!" he cried, "Look at me! I'm old! Old and thick! ... You're good... You're very good. Hitching a ride on my Tardis... Got more than you bargained for didn't you! Look at you!" He leaned up to the Angel's ear, "You're broken..." he added with a smug whisper. He turned away and took a few paces towards the crack in the cliff.

"Doctor... You aren't watching it..."

"I don't need to watch it!" the Doctor declared smiling darkly into the bright light, "It can't kill you, no more than a real statue could" He turned and strode back to the Angel. He pointed swiftly with his screwdriver and put his mouth close to the Angel's ear, "That... Is the light at the end of the universe... Largest power source in history... It. Could. Restore. You..." he breathed. His eyes watched the Angel's face as if he could read its stone expression. Glancing at the crack he could see it slowly creeping shut, "I'll turn my back shall I?" He smirked.

"Doctor... Doctor... No. Please... Doctor..." Casey begged, "Don't leave me..."

Confident with the 'thing' he'd planned the Doctor began to walk away from the Angel towards the clearing's edge. The crack in time was behind it, it cast a long shadow in front of his as he stepped slowly on. A piercing scream made him spin on the spot.

The Angel had gone for the crack alright. The crack was closing rapidly around it. With the Doctor's eyes fixed on it, it was now trapped. What he hadn't anticipated was the Angel refusing to release Casey. One of his large boots could be seen protruding from the crack; white wisps of time energy were creeping around it to finish the job. The Doctor stood, watching Casey's end with rigid defiance.

Another one to add to the list of people who had died in his name

He smirked; a dark look in his eyes. The crack snapped shut, leaving the back of the Angel sticking out of the cliff, just as he'd found it.

The Doctor tucked his hands in his pockets... Pleased with his work

He was just getting warmed up.


	7. Chapter 7

On board the Tardis he took control. No longer would this time machine dictate his when's and where's. Pulling the screen around with him as he worked the Doctor rerouted power from its core to repair the paint damage to the exterior. On the screen he watched time rewind and the paint being restored. He raised the shields.

He was about to continue on and start the Tardis when movement on the screen caught his attention. It was a figure, wearing a long black dress, holding a small red bag. The Doctor blinked, concentrating hard on the blonde curls. He forced himself to look away. She couldn't be here. She just couldn't. It wasn't possible. He checked the screen again.

She was gone.

Why did he keep seeing River Song everywhere he went? What did it mean?

The Doctor breathed in deeply, and let out a long sigh. He thought back to the Singing Towers. Seeing himself in that suit, with River.

Would she survive the Library? Was this her way of telling him to go to her?

Well, she had the Screwdriver, and she'd taken the psychic paper. All that was left to do was hope.

Well for most people that would be all that was left.

The Doctor however, was not 'most people'. It was within the Doctor's power to act. There were a few things he would need if he were going to create such a stir in the cosmos.

The first being a change of clothes. For weeks now he'd donned the same blue and brown tweed combination. It was the same thing he had been wearing when he'd last been with River. Blue shirt, blue bow tie, blue braces. Although blue was a good colour... No... Blue was a great colour... It wasn't exactly the colour to alter time in. It wasn't the colour to be brilliant in.

Swanning around his walk in wardrobe the Doctor ran his hand over the hangers gently. His eyes dismissed each item of clothing in turn. Items of clothing from every century imaginable. His hand stopped suddenly on his retired floor length brown coat. He held it up against himself, staring sadly at it in the floor to ceiling mirror. Now that had been an outfit to save the world in. He tucked it back into its place on the rail before finally laying his hand on his favourite red shirt. Hung over which were his red bow tie and red braces.

Watching himself dress in the mirror he contemplated his next move, or moves as the case may be. His long fingers folded his bow tie carefully before pulling his shirt collar down to rest over it. It wasn't easy being brilliant, neither was it easy always being the good guy. It wasn't easy watching people die as he stood on helpless and bound by the rules of time. As he made sure his hair was in place he realised how vain his latest incarnation was. He shrugged casually, straightening out the creases in his jacket. The Doctor spun each way admiring his change in colour scheme.

"Time is not the boss of me..." He told himself, "Time... Is not the boss of me..." He continued to repeat the words under his breath as he skipped down to the console room. With a quick check of his watch he began to enter coordinates into the Time Machine from memory. He pulled the lever, gripping the console as his feet slid from under him.

"HaHaa!" he beamed scrambling up and swinging the screen towards him, "Excellent... Love when I do that..."

The screen displayed books. Millions and millions of books. Stacked in neat rows along sturdy, perfectly carved, deep mahogany, wooden shelves.

The Library.


	8. Chapter 8

The doctor stared bright eyed at the screen. His mouth fixed in a huge smile.

"The Library!" he exclaimed, "And we landed too... Brilliant... Love when I do that...," his eyes now flicked side to side across the image, "Books... Yess... Lights... Cool... Shadows... ... ... ... I can always take a chance," the Doctor checked his watch in his usual dramatic fashion, pausing to think. He didn't have much time before the lights went out. The Vashta Nerada would know now that the Library was breached, "Ooh," he murmured darkly, "That's very not good..." His legs rushed him towards the exit, desperately hoping he wasn't too late.

The Doctor burst out of the Tardis into familiar shelved surroundings. A cold sweat on his brow he looked frantically one way down the aisle, then the other, backwards and forwards. Suddenly, he saw the lights going out at one end; slowly blinking him into darkness.

"Oh..." he whimpered pointing his screwdriver uselessly in that direction. The lights started to go out more quickly. After a quick intake of breath he fled in the opposite direction. As he ran he spied two very familiar looking large, carved, wooden double doors ahead, "Here goes nothing! ... Geronimo!" he cried diving at the doors shoulder first. They fell open and he rolled into the circular room with a crash and a crunch. Adrenaline surged through him as, pushing his hair out of his eyes; he dived to his feet to seal the doors. Simultaneously a blue suited figure leapt up and with their sonic screwdrivers they sealed the doors.

They paused suddenly, looking down at the other's screwdriver. Slowly their eyes met, the Doctor looked right into the eyes of his younger self. Their mouths hung open as they stared in disbelief at one another.

"Yours is bigger than mine..." the Tenth Doctor said finally in shock as he held up his screwdriver.

"Yeah... Let's not go there..." the Eleventh sighed holding his up in reply, "Where's..."

"Sweetie...?"

"River!" Eleven beamed, "River I could kiss you!" She ran to him, jumping for him to catch her in his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist as she buried her head in his neck, "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear, "I had to come"

"I used your psychic paper but... it went wrong ... it got to you too early..."

"I know... I know" He breathed putting her down, "Everyone I need lights...around this circley...bit," he indicated to the circle pattern on the floor. As he spun on the spot his trousers rode up to their usual half mast position, his arms and hands gestured in their usual fashion, "Lights facing out... Now... Okay then... Where are we up to? Has anyone been outside? Wandered off? Been on their own for more than five minutes? I need... To know... Where's Miss Evangelista?"

His previous incarnation's jaw dropped, she'd been trying to get their attention before the interruption. His head darted around, she'd gone.

"Uh oh...," he gulped before darting towards the open passage way with the Eleventh Doctor close at his heels.

"So who's that?" Donna demanded marching over to River.

"That's the Doctor. My Doctor, the Doctor in the future," River beamed watching the pair running, "I call, and he comes running, just like he always does"

* * *

Miss Evangelista whimpered as her legs buckled beneath her and the shadows grew closer.

"Miss Evangelista! Don't move!" the Tenth Doctor cried racing to the entrance to the dim table filled room.

"Don't touch the shadows!" Eleventh called over his shoulder, "They're not really shadows... get out... you need to get out now!"

"Get out!" the Tenth Doctor yelled his eyes wide in panic.

"She's going to die if we don't do something..." The Doctor ran his fingers through his sweaty hair, "I'm about to do something incredibly stupid..." His younger self turned around, about to ask what that stupid thing may be. As he did a splash of tweed and bow tie fled past him into the darkening room.

"No!" he yelled.

"Doctor!" River cried rushing towards the doorway.

The Doctor darted towards Evangelista, the shadows were close now. He grabbed her arm and led her hurriedly towards the door. As he was about to reach the doorway the doors slammed shut and he was thrust into darkness. River froze; surely he didn't stand a chance. The younger Doctor stopped still,

"Do something!" Donna screamed at him.

"I can't..."

"Use your sonic-y thing!"

"Donna! It doesn't do wood!"

"Well _make_ it do wood _space man_!" she yelled defiantly.

The doors burst suddenly open again. Green sonic light erupted and promptly subsided as it met with the light from the corridor. The Doctor had his back to them, struggling to stay on his feet as the once Miss Evangelista had her hands tightly around his throat. The blue light in the helmet of her suit illuminated the skeletal face.

"Stay back!" he warned struggling to breath. In his hand River could see him changing the settings on his screwdriver. She looked down at her own. He'd set it for her, at the Singing Towers, he'd set it to eight hundred percent. River ran forward and thrust the screwdriver into the power socket on the front of the skeleton's suit. It released the Doctor and froze in mid grip.

"Alright," he gasped holding his screwdriver up, "Mesh density increased to eight hundred percent, pass it on..."

"Gotcha," River replied holding hers in the air. The Tenth Doctor held his up in reply,

"Your screwdriver," he said quietly, "Looks just like mine..."

"You gave it to me," River replied with her all knowing smile.

"I don't give my screwdriver to anyone"

"She isn't just anyone," his older self cut in, "Now... pass it on... every suit... River... come here" He put a hand on her shoulder, "Helmet on," he instructed, his eyes watched her carefully, flicking to check her shadow grimly, he touched the socket on her suit with his screwdriver.

"What about Miss Evangelista?" she asked quietly as he soniced her suit.

"Don't worry about that," he whispered.

"Doctor tell me," she insisted as they followed the team back into the illuminated fortress they'd attempted to create.

"This library... this whole entire library... is inside a little girls mind," he began glancing briefly towards Mr Lux, "When this ends... all the people who are supposed to be here... all four thousand and twenty two... will be restored. I'm counting on the girl to restore Evangelista... okay? There's no guarantee ... she's just brainwaves now... but I have to take that chance. The library has been taken over, the data field needs to be repaired and..."

River pressed a finger to his lips, "Alright sweetie... too many spoilers..." she soothed. He smiled at her, his eyes shone in response to the blue light coming from her suit, "I'm glad you came," she whispered.

"Well... you know how it goes... you ... me ... running," he smiled putting his hand to her helmet and kissing the visor gently, "I'd hate for you to have all the fun without me"

"Uhm... other... me ... Doctor..." his younger self said hurriedly, "We have a problem"

The two Time Travellers looked around, "Problem?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah... uhm... Two shadows..." They looked to _proper_ Dave, the pilot from River's expedition team. He was stood frozen to the spot in the centre of the circular room, whimpered and sweating.

"Don't move..." the two Doctors chorused stepping forward, screwdrivers poised.


	9. Chapter 9

They pointed their screwdrivers at _proper_ Dave's suit. Sonic light danced over the white jumpsuit in an array of blue and green.

"Stay perfectly still... as if there's a wasp in the room," the Doctor tugged at his bowtie with his free hand as he tried to think, "Dave... Dave... Look at me... Dave... don't point... where's your helmet Dave?"

"On the floor... next to my backpack," Dave stammered as calmly as he could.

"Good...River... Dave needs his helmet on... put it on for him... Don't cross those shadows" River stepped tentatively around Dave's shadows before putting his helmet on him slowly and locking it into place.

"What is it...?" the blue suited Doctor asked through clenched teeth as he peered over his glasses at the terrified archaeologist. His eyes traced the outline of the two shadows _proper_ Dave possessed.

"Vashta Nerada!" cried his older self, "Very dangerous... feed on... well... have a guess" He pushed his hair back out of his face, "On Earth they usually feed on road kill... You'd never notice that they were there... Probably never will..."

"Why are they here?" River asked stepping back.

"The Vashta Nerada are tiny... microscopic even. They live and breed and feast in the darkness of forests... alone... well... alone they're no threat. Have a look," he pointed upwards, "Look up to the light... see those specs... dust you might think... tiny swarms of Vashta Nerada. Harmless... in small numbers," his thumb began to ache over the button of his screwdriver as he continued, "So they live in forests... how are they here? But of course just look around us... this_ is_ a forest... the books... all those books... a playground for the Vashta Nerada. They didn't come to this planet they were born here amongst the pages, amongst the books. A forest...," he murmured, "... a forest of the dead"

"A million million..." the other Doctor whispered looking over to Donna.

"... And silence in the Library..." The Doctor finished, his blue eyes stared knowingly at the blue suited figure. The hand holding his screwdriver began to shake. River stepped forward aiming her screwdriver at the suit. The Doctor released the button and, tapping his head with the sonic device, tried his best to get his mind working. He paced back and forth; every eye in the room was upon him, as was usually the case when the Doctor was in the room. His thoughtful eyes met with Donna's for a second, "Donna Noble," he said quietly, "... brilliant Donna Noble... I should have told you when I had the chance," he glanced to his younger self, "... You were fantastic...," he whispered before turning his back to her and continued to pace.

"Doctor," River insisted, "We can't do this forever"

"It's too late," he replied, "One shadow now... too... late. For the past..." he checked his watch, "...three minutes you've been holding the suit in suspension while I think" River's eyes widened as she looked back to the suit, the helmet light had gone off, she hadn't even noticed. Mouth open she looked to the young Doctor, he looked away too ashamed to admit that he'd known all along. Looking down to the floor she realised that one of the two shadows had disappeared. They lowered their screwdrivers in defeat.

"I... I Can't... Why can't I? I... I Can't... Why can't I?" Dave's voice asked. River looked to the communicator flashing on his suit. The lights had already begun to go out, "Hey... Who turned out the light? ... Hey... Who turned out the light?"

"If he's dead..." Lux stammered, "... Why is he still standing...?"

The Doctor stepped towards the suit, "You need to let him go," he demanded, "That's a man's soul... Have the decency to let him go..."

"Doctor..." River warned, "... Don't" She watched him edge further towards the stationary suit.

"Hey... Who turned out the light?"

"Listen to me!" the Doctor cried, "The library can be yours... just let these people leave!"

The suit made a grab for him forcing him back away in shock.

"It's a swarm in a suit!" his younger self exclaimed, fascinated at seeing the swarm successfully gain control and manipulate the white jumpsuit.

River stepped forward disabling the power pack within the suit with her screwdriver. It paused, standing perfectly upright and motionless.

"Now... we don't have much time... River... We have to get out of here... no one wanders off... and don't go near the shadows" He stepped forward, using his screwdriver to increase the mesh density of the suit, sealing the swarm of Vashta Nerada inside, "These things learn fast..."

"This is completely mad," his younger counter part announced with an irritated whisper as he approached the busy Doctor.

"Yeah? ... Just think how this _might _have turned out," the Doctor grabbed hold of his stunned looking Tenth incarnation and rammed his forehead fiercely into his.

"Arrr!" they cried stumbling backwards from each other. The Tenth Doctor removed his glasses and held his head, groaning in agony.

"There's a better way of doing that surely," he winced.

"Yeah... No time..." The Doctor spun on the spot, his hair flicking from side to side as he tried to find an alternative route to the one River was about to provide. Time was no longer on his side.

"Hey... who turned out the light?"

Every eye turned back to the suit, its chest moved, imitating life as shadows grew from its feet. Its arm rose up, stretching out towards them. Taking a firm step towards it the Doctor aimed his screwdriver at the suit, the green light burst brightly from its tip.

"River... Sweetie..." he insisted sternly, his eyes focused on the shadows reaching for his feet.

He didn't have to say anything more; River unholstered her gun. She pointed it at the younger Doctor quickly.

"Duck!" she cried firing over his shoulder as he leapt out of the way, "Everybody out! Go! Go! Go!"

"Squareness gun!" the dark haired Doctor cried in disbelief. He grinned with excitement, "Allons-y!"

He waved his arm towards the square hole in the wall; making sure the expedition team were out safely before following the stunned Donna through after them.

River paused to turn to the Doctor, "Sweetie! Now!"

"I'm coming!" He took a few small steps backwards; screwdriver still outstretched to match the hand of the swarm suit, "Not this time..." he muttered darkly, his eyes narrowed. The shadows continued to grow, "I don't think so..." His boots scraped loudly on the marble floor as he shuffled further still away from the growing shadows. With a press of a button he extended his screwdriver, the shadows were inches away.

He was choked suddenly out of his daredevil scheme quite literally and dragged roughly backwards through the square hole.

In the safety of the dim corridor he tugged at his collar, gasping desperately for air. He bent his knees, putting his head towards the floor, forcing oxygen into his lungs. White boots came into view on the floor in front of him; he followed the white suited legs up, past a gun holster, past the matching white belt, right up to the angry face of River Song.

"What were you thinking?"

He frowned slightly, still catching his breath.

"If you die here...," she cried, "I'll kill you!"

She grabbed his jacket and forced him to turn around to face the five survivors. Behind them the shelved corridors were dark, "Now... these things look like shadows... Every shadow?"

"No..." he murmured, "... But any shadow..."

As he looked at the remaining team the Doctor felt completely useless. He wished he'd not returned to the Library. It seemed so futile now. How could they possibly escape the Vashta Nerada? He'd put himself in their carnivorous path twice now. He was tempting fate to say the least. His eyes glanced to River; she was the reason, his reason... His reason for being here.

"Lights!" he cried jumping, "That's what we need... River... Doctor... Lights... Screwdrivers... Now..."

"What should we do?" Anita asked from behind the safety of her visor.

The doctor looked down at her from his now elevated position, screwdriver extended towards the light above him, "Do exactly as I say... Don't wander off... And don't ask stupid questions..." he looked back to the light he was working on. It erupted into a more powerful light source. His other self however, was struggling with this simple task. River stepped up raising her screwdriver up to the light he'd chosen. It produced a high pitched buzzing before shaking the light into life. The Doctor looked at the screwdriver, a deep fear coursed through him, it was his screwdriver. Without a doubt.

She smiled seeing the fear in his eyes, "What's the plan?" she called over her shoulder.


	10. Chapter 10

**Enormous delay on this Chapter... O_o' Laboratory reports and Phil Collins' - Easy lover... Bad combination... especially when trying to write a chapter... Anyway... Here it is! =]  
**

"Stay in the light... We'll work our way down this corridor... Light up every lamp you find... We need to be sure which shadows are shadows and which are Vashta Nerada... Remember... They're everywhere..."

He crouched low to the floor, slowly working his screwdriver along the edge of the shadow at his feet.

"Here..." River handed her screwdriver to the young Doctor, "Point and press... You know how it goes..."

"... Sonic..." he said sounding impressed.

"Yeah... You always did think it could use a bit _more_ sonic..."

"So some time in the future I just... _Give you_... my screwdriver?"

"Yep," River beamed.

"Why would I do that?"

"River!... Quiet... Spoilers..." The bow tied Doctor warned from his position on the floor ahead. Green sonic light flashed intermittently as he traced the line of the shadow he'd found. River smiled knowingly leaving her screwdriver in the Doctor's capable hands. She moved kneel down beside her own Time Traveller.

"Doctor..." she breathed.

"Yeah...?" He continued to work without looking to her. She put a firm hand on his shoulder, forcing him to pause in mid sonic. His blue eyes shone up at her, "River..." He breathed, finally giving her his complete and full attention.

"You're here..." she sighed, "... But you're there..." She nodded to the Doctor working on the lights a few feet away, "How is that possible...?"

The Doctor glanced at himself for a moment and sighed in frustration rubbing his eyes, "It's complicated... The universe... Is complicated..."

"Have you met yourself before?"

"Once..."

"And no paradox...?"

"It doesn't quite work like that..."

"This was the time then...? ... When you met yourself...?"

"Not exactly..." the Doctor's mind spun back to his encounter with himself that eventful Christmas, "Celery..." he half whispered with a chuckle.

"What?"

"Nothing... I just..."

"Hey... Who turned out the light?"

"Doctor!" River cried grabbing his hand tightly, "Run!" The Doctor found himself being dragged arm first along the dim shelved corridor. He fumbled with his screwdriver, pointing uselessly at the passing shadows as they sped along.

"Hey... Who turned out the light?"

The slow heavy footsteps echoed with eerie ease above the sound of their own footsteps on the polished marble. Up ahead the archaeologists skidded to a halt as a black shadow swooped down to block their path.

"Doctor!" _other_ Dave called, "What now! ?"

"Hey... Who turned out the light? ... Hey... Who turned out the light?"

The Doctor turned to stare at the white figure moving unsteadily towards them. The skull inside the helmet lolled lazily against the visor unable to maintain an upright position. His eyes looked down to River. Oh how he depended on her... and how she read his mind so clearly he'd never ever be able to understand. They nodded quickly at one another. River spun on the spot, turning to the opposite bookshelf, gun outstretched. With a blue square haze she fired and a perfectly square hole cut through the shelves.

"This way! Quickly!" she cried pushing Anita through first, "Go! Go! Go!"

"Ruuun!" the Doctors cried as they fled around every twist and turn in the labyrinth of books.

Holding River's hand as tightly as he could the Doctor beamed, "HaHaa! Running!" he gasped, "I love running!" River couldn't help but laugh. Here they were, in the thick of it all, and they were laughing. What had this man done to her? The feelings... The overwhelming sense of security... She'd never before _needed_ a man in her life... But she sure needed the Doctor. From now until the end of time... Again.

Unable to maintain the Doctor's furious pace River let go of his hand, urging him onward with a wave of her hand. Through the darkness loomed two giant, beautifully carved wooden doors. With sharp and agreeing glances at one another the Doctor's pounded forward. The Doctor's open tweed jacket didn't exactly help his aerodynamics... neither did his hair for that matter... yet they matched each other's harsh footsteps.

"Geronimo...!"

"Whoaaa..!"

The pair crashed against the doors, bursting out onto an extremely well lit balcony overlooking the distant horizons of The Library. They stood gasping, overwhelmed by the very welcome sight of sunlight... or rather...

"... That's a moon up there... Moonlight" Glasses now on and hands firmly in pockets the Doctor cast his gaze skywards, "... Why a moon... Bit... Weird... But that's just... Me, anyway... We never said Hello... I'm the Doctor," he smiled suddenly hand outstretched towards himself. His counterpart stared down blankly at the friendly gesture.

"Yes. I know...," he snapped impatiently, "Guess what... New face!" He pulled a whole manner of face stretching expressions in the Doctor's face before stepping away, sufficiently satisfied with himself. He held his screwdriver up beside his ear, and, pacing this way and that, tried his best to find the correct setting. The Archaeologists slowly filtered onto the balcony; Donna bringing up the rear.

"You just _left _me!" she yelled at the Doctor, "I could have _DIED_! ... I could be _dead_! ... Me!" she pointed at herself in frustration, "... Dead! My face could be on one of those statues!"

The Doctor's grinned slyly at one another, "Oh I don't know..." the Doctor strolled over to her, hands still tucked in his pockets, "You might have made a great statue..." He grinned widely showing off his teeth.

In the not so distant...distance... the sound of slow footsteps could be heard.

"River! Go on ahead... Find a safe spot!" the Doctor cried lowering his screwdriver for a moment, "You... Dave is it?" he dropped suddenly to the Archaeologist's feet and began to scan his shadow. He sprung up suddenly, "Yeah... Uh... You might as well stay here..."

"I can help you," the Doctor piped up drawing his own screwdriver.

"Nope. That wasn't plan... I like plans... Did I mention? ... Well... It's more of a _'thing'_ ... But it's a brilliant _'thing'_... Now go"

"Hey... Who turned out the light? ... Hey... Who turned out the light?"

The swarm suit staggered unsteadily through the open double doors. With the Time Traveller in its sights it stretched its arm out towards him.

"Go!" the Doctor yelled fiercely.

"Other Dave! ... Drag him away when he's too stupid to leave!" River cried before taking after the rest of the team.

The Doctor stepped towards the suit, his curious eyes taking in every impossible inch of the Vashta Nerada swarm.

"Now... Listen to me..."

"Hey... Who turned out the lights?"

"Listen to me! Those are last words of the man who wore that suit... If you don't have the decency to let him go... then use him... talk to me..."

The suit continued to stagger towards him. The Doctor backed away one step at a time... This wasn't exactly how this had gone the last time...

"Time can be rewritten..." he breathed backing over the trap door and waving a pointed finger in a circular motion in front of his face, "Ohh... I'm very good"

"You two should go now... You two should go now..."

"Sorry Dave!" the Doctor called over his shoulder, "... But you were already dead..." he added with a mutter. Screwdriver ready he backed away a few inches more, "I know what you're thinking," he grinned, "Who is he? What is he? ... Why is he still alive? ... The Doctor... Time Lord... I always stay near the door..." He pressed the button; releasing the trap door; and sending the suit plummeting to the ground below.

"You two should go now... You two should go now..." The voice sent a shiver down him, it was right behind his ear.

The Doctor stepped back over the open floor; the suit of _other_ Dave followed not so gracefully, falling too through the floor. With a foot either side of the hole the Doctor crouched low, peering down at the extraordinarily large drop.

"HaHaa! ... Gotcha!" he beamed pointing his screwdriver after them.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author: Sorry it's been quite a while... I wrote this on my ipod... then... broke the ipod...wasnt clever. Anyway.. It's here now 8)**

The Archaeologists scrambled through yet another square hole into a red dimly lit room.

"Everyone establish a safe area! Lights facing out in a circle! Move! Move! Move!" River instructed leading the way. She threw her backpack to the floor roughly and took out the square metal lunch box she'd brought with her, "Alright," she breathed crouching down at the edge of the safe circle, "Let's see what we've got here..." she threw a large chicken leg into the surrounding shadows. Before she could blink it had been devoured. The bone clattered against the marble floor, "Oh god..." she gasped quietly backing away.

The Doctor knelt down quickly beside her making her jump slightly. He removed his glasses and looked at her with a forceful stare. She stared back for a moment before delving into her backpack once more. The Doctor's ancient eyes watched her removed a battered leather bound blue book. The cover looked exactly like the exterior of his Tardis.

"Who are you?" he asked quietly.

"Professor River Song... University of..."

"To me. Who are you to me?" he demanded, "You just... _run _around with this screwdriver..." he continued as he thrust her screwdriver into her hands, "Who and what are you?"

"Who are you... ? Speaking to me like this!" River snapped back slamming her diary down on the floor.

"I'm the Doctor!" he cried.

"No! You're not the Doctor! Not yet! Don't you dare! Now my Doctor... My Doctor... He makes whole armies turn and run away... And he just... Swaggers off back to his Tardis... Opens the doors with a snap of his fingers... The Doctor and the Tardis... Next stop... _Everywhere!_"

Donna stood, for once, quietly, behind the Doctor. As she listened to Professor Song's words she could relate them entirely to her own travels with the Doctor... 'Next stop everywhere'. He'd made enemies turn and run away right in front of her. For a minute she felt incredibly sorry for River. She'd found herself in life threatening danger, here, in this dark and troubled Library and despite her best efforts to call the Doctor, she'd ended up with the wrong one... The wrong Time Lord... The young Time Lord. Even though her Doctor had turned up eventually there was no guarantee that he'd gotten away from the situation they'd just left him in. She could have lost him again as she had almost lost him before.

"No one can open a Tardis by snapping their fingers... It's impossible"

"It is for the Doctor," River replied stubbornly.

"I am the Doctor!" he yelled fiercely pointing at himself firmly.

"Yeah," she muttered, "... Some day..."

"River!" a voice warned from across the room. The Doctor was climbing ungracefully through the square hole, "Spoilers..." he added firmly.

"Where's other Dave?" Anita asked head cocked to one side in confusion.

"Not coming... Sorry..." came the detached reply. He strode across to River; she rose from her crouched position to meet him. The Doctor hugged her tightly, "You're... so brilliant... you know that?" he whispered pressing his forehead against her visor, "Really... brilliant..."

Donna paid close attention to how they reacted to one another. It was enough to soften even her tough exterior.

Donna had never considered the option of dating the Doctor. He was far too old for her... Wasn't he? ... If he was then why did she suddenly feel so empty? She looked over to the future that the Doctor was inevitably heading towards. His arms tightly around the Professor, and her arms... Holding onto him for dear life. Donna glanced now to the very detached looking dark haired Doctor she travelled with. He was also watching the pair though his expression was somewhat stern. With a sniff and shrug he turned away and with a careful glance at Donna muttered,

"Spoilers..."

He strode towards the patient looking hub computer to the side of the room. His hands spread out over the keyboard, flexing slightly before beginning to type quickly on the old worn keys. Almost immediately he was denied access, a red eye like image spiralled onto the screen bearing the word CAL.

"What's CAL?" he voiced loudly frowning as he attempted to hack the system once more. Following a string of 'access denied' screens he grew increasingly irritated, "What's CAL?" he demanded once more turning round quickly. Donna turned also now to look at the pair stood in the centre of the room. The remaining archaeologists too, moved their stares to fix on the pair.

Releasing the Doctor, River took a very defensive stance, "Ask Mr Lux," she said firmly fixing her glare upon him.

Mr Lux stared in disbelief at River, "That's all confidential!" he cried, "And you didn't sign your personal experience forms," he added turning his wild stare to the Doctor.

"It's the little girl," the Doctor stated calmly from over River's shoulder, "Tell them Lux... Tell them about Charlotte"

Mr Lux shook with fury as he stared at the Doctor, "What did you just say?" he demanded.

"Charlotte... Charlotte Abigail Lux. CAL," the Doctor replied slowly, "They have a right to know"

"How dare you!" the plump archaeologist cried, "My family's pride is at stake here!"

"Now see here," the Doctor left the computer hub humming away and strode over to Lux, "Right now you're in more danger than you've been in in your entire life... I won't see the rest of these people dead just because some idiot thinks his pride is more important"

Clutching tightly at his bowtie the Doctor watched himself with pure fascination, "Look how brilliant I am," he whispered to River.

She rolled her eyes in despair.

"Now," he interrupted loudly, stealing the floor, "River..." he beamed stretching a hand out towards her, "River here... Is brilliant... Do you know why she's brilliant Mr Lux?" The flustered man shook his head quickly, "Well I'll tell you... Professor Song... Is terribly... terribly good... At finding a way out... She led you lot... To the central... reading... room... thing... It's terribly complex," he added, "We are right above the way into the Library's hard drive... And the way out of this mess up here" The group stared silently at him. Their eyes flicked to one another in confusion. The Doctor continued on oblivious, "Once we're down there... Mr Lux... You can show us the Head Command Node... and then we'll deal with the biggest and most dangerous problem that we're going to face all day..."

"_Auto destruct in fifteen minutes" _The monotonous female voice boomed out.

"Ah" the Doctor mumbled with a casual point of his finger, "Forgot to mention that... Time is everything... River... Doctor... With me... See this circle? Point and press"

The trio crouched low, slowly working their screwdrivers around the edge of the central circular pattern on the floor. Mr Lux looked to Donna and Anita, he'd never felt more a spare part in his life. His eyes worked down Anita's suit to where her boots met the floor. His eyes widened.

"You've got two shadows!" he yelled at pointing at Anita and backing away as fast as he could. Every head turned to Anita.

"Anita don't move, I'll get your helmet," River moved assertively across the room, carefully avoiding crossing either of Anita's shadows.

"What good is that going to do? The Daves were wearing their helmets! It didn't do them any good!" Lux cried frantically backing further away across the room.

"Shut up Mr Lux," River demanded clicking the helmet in place.

The Doctors looked at one another. Pushing his hair back the Doctor smiled, "What are you thinking?" he asked fixing his bowtie as they strode over to the dual shadowed archaeologist.

"If we tint the visor... they may think they're already inside..." with his screwdriver he swept it across Anita's visor.

"Will that work?" River asked curiously peering over his shoulder.

"I don't know... It's a swarm... It's not about to stop and have a chat..." the Doctor replied over his shoulder.

The two Doctor's lent closer, peering into Anita's visor. River moved cautiously away.

"Looks good to me"

"Does doesn't it?"

"Brilliant in fact... Good job"

"Thanks very much"

"You're welcome"

Rolling her eyes River pointed her screwdriver now to the centre of the circular room.

"_Auto destruct in 10 minutes"_

"Doctor!" River called as the circular pattern on the floor opened to reveal an elevator.

"Okay! Everyone..." he pointed wildly at the opening, "... that way! ... now!"

The Tenth Doctor grabbed his older self's arm, "Professor Song," he hissed, "... she's..." The stern stare he received in response silenced him instantly. He always told his companions to trust him, now was the time when he needed to trust himself. They stepped onto the platform provided with Donna and River safely between them, the archaeologists stood in front. It was certainly one of the quickest elevators he'd ever ridden and as his blue jacket flapped in the artificial breeze created, the Doctor's youthful eyes examined the startling blue lights that surrounded them on the journey down.

River's gloved hand nudged her Doctor's gently; he looked down to her smiling warmly. His smile hid many thoughts and many emotions currently running through his mind. His hearts were beating harder and faster than they'd ever beaten before, like drums, as he got lost in her content and happy features. He'd never let her down before, why would she even consider that he'd let her down this time?

Time. What a useless word _'time'_ had become, it was fast approaching its end. Time had nearly run out for River Song, for the Doctor, for them. Even with the Tardis and the immense power to bend and twist time to suit him, the Doctor stood on the platform besides River Song feeling completely robbed of all time and space, and everything that ever happened or ever would.

"River..." he began quietly starting to lean down to her ear. The platform came to an abrupt halt interrupting him completely. He opened his mouth in an attempt to speak before his natual leadership skills busrt into action, "This way..." He instructed leaving River to lead the way into the control centre of the library.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author: Apologies if you've already read this... I've corrected that terrible sentence.**

Mr Lux pushed past the Doctor, rushing straight into the control centre. With a manner of knowing exactly where he was going he pulled open a metal casing mounted on the wall and promptly pulled the red lever inside. Following his line of vision the group watched as the head of an information node began to turn towards them. Mounted on the top was the face of a little girl.

"What's a little girl got to do with this place?" River breathed staring in confusion.

"This is CAL," Mr Lux explained, "Charlotte Abigail Lux... My grandfathers youngest daughter. She was dying so he built her a library and put her living mind inside it with a moon to watch over her. The whole of history to pass the time. Any era to live in, any book to read. The family wanted it kept quiet; they didn't want it to become a freak show... It's only half a life of course... But its forever"

"Then the shadows came" the Doctor muttered darkly.

"I have to save.. Have to save" her weakened voice stammered.

"She saved them. She saved them all... Folded them into her dreams and kept them safe. Four thousand living minds inside her head. Must be like being... Well... Me"

A respectful silence fell over the group. The Doctor looked meaningfully between the self destructing core to the silent group he'd led through the deadly forest. Determined to snap them out of their daze he marched to the central computer hub.

"Alright everyone! I need extra power rerouting to this computer... over here...!" he announced resting his hand on the large super computer casing, "River... Go and find me power while I set things up here... oh and I'll need your screwdriver" He turned to the computer to begin his work. River's hand on his arm forced him to pause.

"There's a reason you came here," she whispered sternly, "You knew you were already here..." she glanced to the other Doctor, "the younger you I mean... Doctor! Tell me now... what are you doing here?"

"River..." he sighed in protest, "Please..."

"Doctor... You cried at the Singing Towers. You gave me... this screwdriver," she slammed it down firmly on the desk in front of him, "You knew there was something in this library... something..."

"River stop," he breathed, "... I... I inserted the additional memory into this screwdriver to save the four thousand and twenty two people trapped inside the data bank...," he looked her straight in the eye, "Charlotte can't hold them all. Four thousand minds chatting away. It's too much for anyone to bare. These people aren't meant to be lost forever... It's a complicated... Time loop"

River eyed him with pure distrust and suspicion. But there was no time to argue.

"Anita... keep an eye on him... And if he dies... I'll kill him!" she cried, "You three, with me... I'll need your help... and your screwdriver," she added pointing to the young Doctor.

The Doctor glanced briefly to Anita looking her up and down suspiciously before turning his back to continue altering the computer's settings.

"What about the Vashta Nerada? You think they're just going to let us go?" she asked calmly once the other three had left.

"I'm going to restore the people that were 'saved' to the library's hard drive. Everyone leaves, and the Vashta Nerada can have this planet," he answered simply. With a casual flick of his screwdriver he un-tinted the visor.

"You're going to make them an offer?"

The Doctor turned around with a firm frown on his face. Aiming his screwdriver at Anita he un-tinted the visor. The skeletal face stared out at him.

"I liked Anita. She was brave even when she was crying and you ate her!" he yelled furiously at the suit.

"How long have you known?"

"I counted the shadows. You only have one now. The Vashta Nerada can have this planet... in exchange for allowing the people to evacuate... a whole planet... a forest... a huge playground... a home for the Vashta Nerada. We're in the biggest library in the universe. There are millions of books here; maybe the Vashta Nerada should look me up before even thinking about standing in my way," he stepped forward, a determined and powerful glint in his eyes, "I'm the Doctor, I'm a Time Lord, I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous, I'm 907 years old and I'm the man who's going to save the lives of all four thousand and twenty two people trapped on this planet" The four shadows which had been extending out from the base of the suit paused momentarily, before retreating back into the safety of the suit. The Doctor turned sharply back to the tangled web of wires he'd begun to sort, "Sorry that I couldn't save you from them," he replied as his hands worked quickly, "I hardly noticed the two shadows you had when we got onto that elevator... I bet you hardly noticed yourself" He took a few paces towards the suit, "I'm sorry..." he repeated again before the suit collapsed hissing, 'You have one day'.

With the suit silent he released a long sigh and looked to the seat beside the computer. It had been the last place he'd laid eyes on River Song before her death. He knelt in front of it, laying his hands gently on each of the arms. In his mind he could still see her, linked up to the countdown, her voice shaking as she prepared for the end. 'Spoilers' she'd breathed before connecting the plugs together.

"Spoilers," he whispered in a disgusted tone, what a ridiculous word that had been too, he knew all the spoilers now. Footsteps brought him back from the darkness in his mind. He wiped away the tear that had escaped down his cheek and stood to greet them. Seeing his other self made his eyebrows furrow,

"And what happened to you?" he asked indicating to the already swollen and blackening eye the younger Doctor was wearing.

"She's _very_ feisty," he spluttered in reply pointing at the irate looking River. Hands firmly on her hips she glared fiercely at the Doctor.

"What now?" he cried, "... and why can't you behave yourself for five minutes?"

"You're changing time," she replied defiantly, "You _know _the rules Doctor. Don't try to tell me that you don't! You never saw yourself that day! All that talk about a time loop! Lies! To me of all people!"

"How..." he began, "...oh..." he looked to his other self, "I... told you... didn't I? ... River he's not here for you to bully information out of!" She started towards him, "Whoa... whoa... now... River... sweetie... calm down... This way is better trust me... I have the memory that the library needs. We can resolve this... in a ... a peaceful way... a nice way... ask me... ask him" He backed away from her hurriedly before he suffered her wrath a second time. River looked to the younger Doctor; he nodded in agreement with his older, more experienced self,

"Some events in time can be changed... it's not unheard of... I've just never done it before... until now obviously"

River rushed at the Doctor grabbing his braces and holding them tightly,

"I was supposed to die today," she hissed at him.

"And I was supposed to be sealed inside the Pandorica!" he cried.

"It'll change everything Doctor... everything"

"Well I'm prepared to risk that for you River," he said bluntly, "Let me save these people... Let me save you" She tried her best to search for the lie in his eyes, she found nothing. River looked down to the floor and, releasing his braces, she stepped back to allow him to do what he always did. Save people.

The countdown was seconds from its end.

"There _was_ something I wanted to tell you River," he added jumping up to the main computer.

"What's that?"

He turned, removing the small hatch on her screwdriver. The space beneath it was empty. No neural relay. No additional memory. River's eyes widened.

"Gotcha," he declared before thrusting the screwdriver into the awaiting socket. A powerful electrical surge coursed through his body as the library obtained an extortionate amount of memory space from him through the connected screwdriver. His body sparked and twitched, his clothes smoked, he yelled in agony. The lights flickered and flashed until the power surge ceased leaving the overloaded Doctor lifeless on the library floor. The burnt out and smouldering screwdriver fell with a clatter beside him.

River stared for a moment, she couldn't quite believe what had happened, what had he done? She let out an hysterical cry.

"Doctor...! Doctor!" she screamed throwing herself over his body. She grabbed handfuls of his shirt tightly and tugged him towards her, "...no...," she sobbed, "...You promised you'd never go... Doctor you promised..." She pushed his hair back catching it between her fingers and pulling it slightly, "... please get up... please" Tears streaked her cheeks and landed heavily on his shirt leaving small damp patches. River buried her head in his still chest holding onto him for dear life, she wouldn't let him go, not now, not ever.


	13. Chapter 13

_It was a liberating feeling once it was over. The Doctor floated silently over the core room, looking down on the party below. He looked around quickly. How was this possible?_

'_Legs... Yes.' he counted, 'Oooh... Hands... Good... Fingers... Hair... Fez...? ... Fez!' He grinned from ear to ear clutching the red fez perched on his head, 'I've missed you!' He rolled over in a backwards motion, head over heels, his jacket floating behind him. He finally began to take in the scene below him. Was that...? Yes. His hand pointed, his expression, horrified. That was him! He was dead!_

'_I'm dead!" he squeaked his hands shot to his mouth quickly as though he'd let out a sentence he shouldn't. With very exaggerated breast stroke movements he began to make his way down to where River was crying over his body. He crouched next to her, looking repeatedly from his peaceful expression to her teary eyes._

'_Idiot,' he breathed looking down at himself, 'Brilliant idiot though' he smiled warmly. He'd saved her. That was all that mattered. If he'd thought ahead he could have probably saved himself too. If he'd had his own communicator he may have been sucked up into the wifi and downloaded into the system. The Doctor had lived long enough. Seen enough suffering. Been through... too many terrible things. But she was alive... River was alive. His sacrifice. A life for a life. Equal in worth. It broke his hearts to see her cry, yet it made them sing to see her still living. He reached out to her; unable to touch her. His hand slipped right through her. His song would still sing, deep, burning and passionately through the woman whose life he'd saved in so many ways. She'd saved him too, in more ways than imaginable. He sighed contently._

_Time to go._

_

* * *

_

She held his shirt so tightly she was almost certain she'd end up ripping it from him. River looked up at a teary eyed Donna and a very solemn looking Doctor.

"Can he regenerate?" she demanded.

"I... I don't know... I have no idea how many times he's regenerated since me"

River shook with silent tears as she delved into her backpack rummaging around for her most treasured possession. Her hand enclosed around the worn leather book, she wiped the tears from her face before flicking through the damaged pages.

"What's that?" the Doctor asked taking a step forward.

"You can't look," River replied suddenly, "It's the rules"

"Rules..? Who's rules?"

"Your rules..." she sighed absentmindedly, "I have pictures of all your faces..." she continued to turn the pages getting more and more agitated, "I don't have another picture," her voice began to break as she spoke, "...I... I don't... Ohh," she broke into silent tears holding the diary tightly in her hands.

The Doctor took hold of her shoulders gently and half forced her to stand, "Come on," he said firmly leading her away, "Donna...the bag..." he added over his shoulder. As he walked her to the elevator he noticed something glistening in the neck of her suit, "What's that then?" he asked.

"Oh," her hand shot to her neck, "It's um...," she took a deep breath before pulling the chain out of the suit, "The key to the Tardis"

"Treat it well I suppose," he replied examining the key as they were lifted back up to the main library. The library was bustling with life they could hardly move through the crowds as people hurried towards the teleporters. River spied the Doctor's Tardis through a glass pane in a side door, hidden in the biographies section.

"That's definitely... yours..." the Doctor swallowed hard, "Looks new... Is it new?"

"Spoilers," River replied.

"You'll be alright?" Donna asked handing River's backpack over to her.

"I'll have to be..."

"Well we're... uhm... this way," the Doctor indicated to the older, worn looking Tardis stood proudly in the entrance hall. He was terrible at goodbyes. Especially with people who he hardly knew. Especially with people he hardly knew who were going to be romantically involved with him in the future.

"We'll meet again Doctor"

He nodded in silent reply before watching her turn and make her way to the Tardis. She slid the silver key into the lock, he'd been gone less than half an hour, and already the world seemed a little less bright. She fought back tears as she entered the quiet time machine and shut the door. River burst into uncontrollable sobs, she slid to the floor against the Tardis door burying her face into the backpack she was holding far too tightly in her arms. Never in her life had she met a more infuriating man, she'd never met a man prepared to die for her either. How long she spent huddled on the floor she'll never know. She tried uselessly to wipe away the tears but they continued to streak down her cheeks. All she wanted right now was the Doctor, her Doctor, to make things seem ridiculously simple, to make the worst scenarios seem like the most trivial. River had been through many things, locked away in a storm cage on more than one occasion; even she couldn't understand why she felt so helpless without that man, that impossible man. How different it was, knowing he wasn't going to burst into the Tardis all smiles, having discovered some kind of wild adventure they could partake in. She got to her feet at last; passing by the console she accelerated the Tardis into space with the pull of a lever. Throwing her rucksack down, she took up her diary and sat on the edge of her bed. She ran her hand flat over the cover fondly before opening it at the next clean page. In the empty space she began to write. It brought the tears flooding back as she wrote the words she'd always dreaded seeing.

'_The death of the Doctor'_


	14. Chapter 14

River stared down at the words; tear drops smudged them in small pools. From nowhere a soot covered hand reached down and closed the book gently.

"We're not... quite ready for that chapter yet... Gotcha"


	15. Chapter 15

'_You can't just... you can't LEAVE!' the Doctor cried running frantically between his lifeless body and River, who was being led slowly away by Doctor number ten and Donna Noble, 'What about me!' He waved his arms frantically in front of them. The trio walked straight through him._

_He clenched his teeth together in frustration. Bloody Time Lords... Always wanted to leave early. He crouched down over himself, examining every burn and every scar. His bowtie was almost completely burned off on one side. The Doctor sighed. What an enormous mess this has turned into. He put a hand up to cover his eyes,_

'_I don't want to go' he murmured. His voice trembled. A whisp of time energy curled up out of his body's mouth. He groaned uselessly. 'Ohh... Don't you dare' he warned waving his hand through the energy, dispersing it into nothing. As he did his hand felt as though it was on fire. His fingers burned. 'Ah!' he cried holding his hand up. It was burnt; the idyllic body he'd ended up in was actually damaged. 'Hello you,' he whispered turned his hand this way and that slowly. His eyes shot back to his body, another small burst of time energy was being released. The Doctor rotated his other hand in the golden whisp. He winced as it too took on in its real form. He grinned widely, holding both hands up, turning them each way with excitement. 'Brilliant' he breathed. As he exhaled he could see the tiniest hint of gold leaving him. _

_The Doctor lowered his hands down. To his surprise he felt the edge of his body's jacket, the tweed rubbed against his fingers. In a hurry he padded down the jacket. He wasn't imagining it... He no longer slipped through objects. As he stared in disbelief into the body's motionless face another wave of energy was breathed at him. It swept over his face like a breath of fresh air._

'_Hahaa!' he cried excitedly, 'Yes! ... Ooh... Ouch... It burns' His forehead burned more than his hands did. Without another thought his grabbed hold of the jacket lapels and with all the force he could gather he rammed his forehead into his own. They collided at an alarming pace. As the Doctor fell backwards his body burst into millions of golden particles. In a shimmering, glittering whirlwind they swept around furiously before being sucked back into the Doctor's body. He sat up suddenly gasping and wheezing and clutching his chest._

'_OUCH!" he yelled beating himself in the chest repeatedly forcing his second heart into action, before falling back against the cold floor, 'One would never do...' he gasped._

_The distant sound of the Tardis engines brought him back into his sitting position._

'_Oh... That's extremely very not good... Riverrr!' he leapt up, half running half staggering towards the elevator entrance. The lift was gone. He gripped the frame and swung around into the lift area, he looked up the shaft, he couldn't see the top. He patted himself down quickly. He never went anywhere without it. He wouldn't even venture into death without it. Pulling out the screwdriver he aimed it up the shaft, his eyes narrowed. Taking a moment to breathe in deeply he found a firm stance, arm extended up, elbow locked so tightly it hurt. He hoped it would work. Would it be as much fun as flying down? He was about to find out. The screwdriver burst into life, the energy field that controlled the elevator began to erupt into green light, travelling in a huge wave from the bottom. The flow swept strongly upwards. 'Geronimo!' he cried throwing himself into the light. _

_It wasn't as much fun as the downward journey he'd taken the last time he'd been there. There wasn't enough time to have another go... Not today anyway. Following the sound of the Tardis his legs ached as they raced on. He cried out in dismay as he saw the last of the dust clouds dispersing and the light of the Tardis fade for the last time. He fell to his knees heavily, his screwdriver held loosely in his hand. Tardis-less, River-less... Hopeless. He pushed his straw like smouldering hair back, staring at the empty space. It wasn't where he left it. He frowned at the space for a moment before his eyes moved slowly to scan the room. It was the main reception. This wasn't where he parked the Tardis. Finding his feet he wet his finger and held it high above his head. Where was Biographies? He turned on the spot slowly doing his best to concentrate his mind on the location of his Tardis. He lowered his hand in defeat. How useless he was when he was well done._

'_Cooked is not a good look...' he uttered catching sight of his reflection in the glass of a door to his left. He spun each way, patting his jacket, releasing small clouds of soot, 'Hmm' he thought reading the engraved sign on the door, 'Biographies... ... ... ... ... Oh'_

_Louder than before he heard a second Tardis bursting into life. He grinned pushing the door open roughly. There it was... And it was leaving._

"_Riverr!" he yelled as he raced towards the doors. He took his key and forced it into the flashing lock. He gripped the handle tightly. He wasn't letting go. He watched his hand blackening as it crisped in the immense heat._

_Already past every pain barrier imaginable the Doctor held onto the burning handle tightly as he tried to turn the key. 'Ahhh' he yelled feeling the Tardis near its last few materialisations. The lock clicked open and in he fell, seconds before the Tardis entered the time vortex. The Doctor fell heavily to the floor kicking the door shut frantically before he was sucked out into the wormhole. _

_Exhausted and scalded he dragged himself up and staggered in the direction of the heartfelt sobs._

_She was sat with her back to him. On her knee he could clearly see the small blue book. The hand holding her pen shook. A few delicate tears splashed onto the open page. He shook his head slowly, his eyes glistened. The words, though smudged, were clear._

'_We're not quite ready for that chapter yet' he insisted leaning down to force the diary shut. Putting his mouth to her ear he added, 'Gotcha'_

_

* * *

_

The Doctor fell heavily onto the bed beside her, his clothes were still smouldering away.

"River Song," he whispered as she leant over him in disbelief, "Crying over me eh" He coughed harshly gripping his chest tightly. She ran her fingers through his hair, over and over.

"How?" she breathed, "Doctor..." He put his hand up to rest on her face; she closed her eyes breathless at how she melted when he did that.

"You just need to trust me River"

"But..."

"It's never... it's never been more important," he winced slightly. With a last long sigh his eyes closed and lay there, breathing softly.


	16. Chapter 16

The overpowering smell of tea roused the Doctor from his deep sleep. How long had he been unconscious? He had no idea. His body, though it had not regenerated into a new form, still needed time to regenerate what it still had left. He could have been out cold for days. He turned his head towards the sound of ceramic chinks of cups and saucers. He smiled, watching River carefully pour the steaming tea from the chipped tea pot that he'd become fond of. Collecting various pieces of history was a very bad habit he'd picked up along the way. River beamed back at him, her eyes shone. She positively glowed at seeing him awake for the first time since his shock return.

"Welcome back," she said quietly as she reached across to stroke his hair fondly. He silently took hold of her hand, entwining his fingers carefully through hers before bringing them softly to his lips. She found herself suddenly hotter than the tea beside her. He watched her, unblinkingly, with the biggest smile and the most lovingly bright eyes.

"Thank you"

"Thank you..." she repeated dismissively shaking her head, "For what...?"

"For saving me"

"I didn't.. I didn't save you. I thought you were dead. I... I left you Doctor" she pulled her hand back. Her eyes now glistened with the onset of tears. The Doctor looked at her in concern.

"I was ready to die for you... _I did_..._ Die_ for you... But I couldn't go... I couldn't leave you River. One spark was all I needed. One spark... Love for you... It's all I needed"

River stared back at him.

"Why did you do it?" she asked quietly.

He stared silently back at her. He had no idea what had made him want to give his life for her. He'd taken the communicator from the Clockwork Man; he could have easily inserted it into the screwdriver. The Time Lord in him had tried to maintain the balance, a life in place of a life. As long as _someone_ died to save the Library it didn't matter _who_ it was.

"You're an impossible man to love Doctor," she sighed realising he had no answer for her.

"You said...?"

"Yes. I said it," she replied simply taking the cup of tea from the bedside table and offering it out to him, "You're impossible"

A smile took over the Doctor's features as he accepted the cup with an unsteady hand, "Well you're impossible too," he murmured leaning down to take a sip. He shuffled across the bed, patting the soft duvet beside him. River needed no persuasion as she settled neatly beside him. Draping his arm around her shoulders he sighed, taking another small sip from his cup. River leaned into him, burying her face in smokey smelling shirt; and gripping handfuls of the material determined to hold onto him as long as possible. This was the only... _the only..._ time when she could be completely vulnerable with this man. She sighed, smiling stupidly into his chest and gripping him even more tightly. If there was one person she couldn't live without. It was him.

If the Doctor ever died, the world would be that little less bright. Colours would seem less colourful, happy just wouldn't be happy enough, love would be less lovely, life would be even more lifeless. Lonely, would be even lonelier.

A tiny clatter forced her to look up. The Doctor's empty cup and saucer had slipped from his hand into the soft folds of the sheets. He'd fallen asleep. His head was rolled slightly to the side; his breathing was steady and soothing. His chest rose and fell gently and rhythmically. River bit her lip her eyes moving slowly down to his lips. Making sure he was fast asleep she pushed herself up, laying a delicate kiss on his lips.

He didn't stir.

She smiled contently taking her place once more snuggled into his chest.


	17. Chapter 17

Slowly blinking her eyes open River hoped that the events of the Library had been some terrible nightmare. The faint smokey smell confirmed that the events had in fact taken place. It took longer than it should have but she soon realised that there was no Doctor laying beside her. Surely she'd not dreamed about his return. No no. The tea cup was still upturned amongst the sheets. Time Lords... Couldn't keep still and had no idea how to tidy up after themselves. He couldn't have gotten far. River rolled her eyes and with a shake of her head found herself making her way to his favourite spot.

Her shoes clattered on the metal steps, "I thought I'd find you here," she smiled. From his place beneath the console he smiled across at her. He'd opened a power box beneath the console; in his hand he held various wires and plugs. With the other hand he used his screwdriver on a few of the bare wires, "You really should rest you know..."

"Nahh, no time for that," he smirked, "Besides... Places to go... People to see... Things to do... Times to change..."

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" River perched herself on the small swinging seat he'd installed for his tinkering with the underside of the console. She sighed, with her head in her hands she watched him lazily.

She was sure he loved his Tardis more than her. He was a difficult man to read, most of the time. He'd have to be in an incredibly vulnerable and worn out state to show any real emotion. Especially love. He liked to be the mysterious one, the one holding all the cards. He'd met his match in River of course. She intrigued him to the point of frustration. She knew things he didn't, worked out things he couldn't understand.

She was brilliant.

His absolute equal.

Exactly what he needed.

"What's the plan?" she asked casually as she swung gently on the seat.

"It's more of a thing..." he murmured stuffing the wires back into the box roughly, "a very important thing.." he added looking up with a grin, "... A very complicated, important, life changing... Thing"

River stared apprehensively at him. It wasn't a 'thing' she particularly liked the sound of. He strode across to her, pocketing his screwdriver casually.

"Everywhere and anywhere... Every star that ever was..." he breathed into her ear, "River Song... Where do we start?"

She stared blankly back at him.

"Well..." he contemplated, "I could start with a change of clothes..." He paused as his mind ticked over, "... I think you should help..." he added looking slightly worried.

Remembering the fez disaster River reluctantly agreed with a small nod.

* * *

Flicking the lights on casually the Doctor gave an extravagant spin as he entered the enormous walk in wardrobe room. He began removing his clothes piece by piece, beginning first with the singed bow tie. He dropped it to the floor. River took to trailing her hand across the many hangers holding more clothes than she could ever imagine owning herself. Her hand fell on a perfectly crisp white shirt, holding it up she considered it for a moment before hanging it over her arm. Behind her she could hear the rustling of material as the Doctor slipped out of the rest of his burnt clothing.

She threw a few more items over her arm before being greeted by an almost naked Time Lord. The surprise on her face must have shown, he grinned smugly taking the clothes from her. She turned her back as he dressed.

"Not bad..." She heard him mutter.

River heard the snap of braces as he let them fall onto his shoulders. She turned finally in time to see him fixing the new deep red bow tie in place. He turned to the ceiling to floor mirror, removing a comb from his pocket as he did. Combing his hair into sleek shape he admired River's choice of dark tweed jacket with the professor-like leather elbow patches, the crisp White shirt, smart dark trousers, new boots though the same style as his old pair, deep red matching braces and bow tie. And now, a sleek looking hair style. A quick trim wouldn't go amiss... There would be plenty of time for that of course. He turned to her. Her eyes lit up seeing how smart he looked.

"You look..."

"Brilliant... I know"

The Doctor beamed at her before clasping his hands together, "Now," he began taking a few quick, thoughtful steps, "Time has changed... Time has been rewritten... So..." he turned, screwdriver now in hand, "Let's see what's new..."


	18. Chapter 18

He stepped from the Tardis first, hands instinctively tucked into his trouser pockets. His eyes narrowed knowingly as he looked around at the small scruffy looking flats. Down at ground level the floor was littered with rubbish, multicoloured graffiti was sprayed across every wall he turned to. Large metal canister-like bins stood to the right of the Tardis. River stepped into the open doorway, peering out at their surroundings.

"What happened here?" she asked sounding slightly nervous.

The Doctor turned to her in puzzlement, "Nothing. It's always looked like this," he grinned offering his hand to her. She accepted, allowing herself to be led across the courtyard towards a doorway presumably to many flats judging by the many numbered plaques next to it. The Doctor used his screwdriver on the buttoned panel granting himself access. Hand in hand they made their way up two flights of steps onto the upper balcony. To their left and right were rows of flats; doorways opening right out onto the balcony. The Doctor stopped outside flat 48. He glanced briefly to River before unlocking the door with a casual flick of his screwdriver.

Inside it was dark. Not a curtain was open. Not a light was on. Not a sound could be heard. Despite the eerie atmosphere the Doctor simply strode in and flicked on each light switch in turn. River stood; appalled in the doorway watching him move swiftly from room to room across the hallway with a manner that silently screamed out that he'd been here before. River screwed her nose as she allowed her eyes to wander around the small council flat. It wasn't necessarily what she'd consider, a home, but for whoever lived here it obviously did its job. With a slight shrug she forced the front door shut and stepped tentatively down the narrow hall.

"Come on!" the Doctor's impatient voice called.

He was sprawled out on the very old and worn sofa.

He breathed in deeply admiring the woman who, if time behaved itself, would surely become his wife in the future. He was beginning to warm to the idea. How extraordinary it would be having met her for the very first time in The Library and not completely understanding the incredible amount of trust he would come to place in her. Even at the Byzantium he had been led to suspect her motives by the words of Father Octavian. She'd killed a man... Sure... But time was unravelling... rewriting... Everything he'd ever known was changing. He couldn't believe the fading past. All he could do now was trust the future which was hurtling towards him.

"Doctor... Where are we? And why are we here?" she demanded impatiently.

He patted the seat beside him shuffling to one side to make room for her to sit next to him.

"We changed what happened in the Library... My past is being rewritten as we speak," he said calmly resting an arm around her shoulders as she leant into him, "If you stay in one place for long enough... Time will surely catch up with you... The Tardis needs to be stationary... It's no good if we're... Floating around up there..."

"But why here... Where are we?"

"We're in the Powell Estate... Flat 48... 21st Century... It's been about..." he checked his watch, "Three weeks since the void was sealed and all parallel worlds were cut off forever from our universe.." He pressed his nose softly through her curls into her ear, "History is changing around us..." he whispered.

The Time Travellers sat huddled together on the well used sofa; and as promised, time began to unravel. River's eyes lit up excitedly as she watched blurry figures moving around them and through them at high speed as if being rewound on a video. The curtains were opened and closed; outside the Sun rose and fell over and over. Breathing in deeply River could smell tea being made; she could hear gentle pops as toast leapt from the toaster in the kitchen.

The Doctor smiled as time paused slightly. The purple of the purple jacket before him seemed purplier than the purple he remembered. He watched in fascination as the figures then began to whirl and blur around them as time rewrote itself. He rose slowly from his seat to watch it from another angle, as he did; everything began to move in slow motion. A large figure stood now right in front of him, donning a large black leather jacket and ears that he recalled wearing all too well. The Time Lords looked into the others eyes a brief few seconds before everything sped up once more. Grinning, the Doctor pushed his hair back, waiting expectantly for his next encounter. He wasn't disappointed.

"I loved that coat..." he breathed watching the brown trench coat rippling past him slowly; a mild frown of confusion met his grin before vanishing into a sudden blur.

Then Time stopped.

It was more sudden than he'd expected.


	19. Chapter 19

They stared blankly at one another. Time was progressing at the correct speed yet everything around them seemed to have stopped.

Her eyes took in his new face, new features, new hair, new attire, new Doctor. She'd never met this incarnation she knew. Rose Tyler knew the Doctor when she saw him.

"Doctor?" she whispered slowly, "Is that... Is that really you?"

He beamed at her broadly stretching an upturned hand out towards her, "Rose Tyler!"

She took a small, stunned shuffle back, "It's you... It's... You"

Lowering his arm, the Doctor stood perfectly still as she stepped up to him. Her hand came to rest on his cheek, before searching his face; and exploring his features. Her fingers slipped through his soft hair, and stopped to rest finally on his shoulder. Never in her life had she expected him to regenerate again. The Doctor, _her_ Doctor, would have needed an extraordinarily good reason to change. Her eyes brimmed with tears as realisation set in. Whatever he looked like now. It didn't matter. He was here.

"But... How?"

"Time can be rewritten," he smiled.

"Why can I remember it all?"

"Because Rose Tyler... You're a Time Traveller"

Her smile widened, she laughed slightly. Remembering River behind him the Doctor side stepped to his left. The two women stared at one another with interest. For the Doctor... The silence lasted far too long for his liking.

"Rose Tyler... Professor River Song..."

River gave a small smile as she rose from her seat to stand beside the Doctor.

"... Hi," Rose murmured hardly able to get her words out, "The Doctor and the Professor eh? ... Together?"

"Yes..."

"... No"

The pair turned suddenly to one another.

"I'll put the kettle on," Rose insisted hurriedly retreating into the humble kitchen.

The Doctor stared firmly at River, swaying impatiently on the spot, struggling to find the words. He gritted his teeth before leaning closer to her, "Why did you say no?" he whispered as quietly as he could manage.

"Why did you say yes?"

He frowned, mouth clamped shut as he continued to stare at her, "Well... Because..." he finally spluttered, "We are"

"Funny isn't it..." she hissed, "Funny how you've never even asked me!"

"I need to ask now? Isn't it written in your diary already!" he cried.

"Milk and sugar?" Rose called from the doorway.

Greeted by two icy stares she retreated once more into the kitchen. The sound of the front door opening and closing made a huge wave of relief wash over her. Mickey had said he'd call in after work. She wasn't quick enough however; to stop him from walking in on the Doctor's domestic with River.

"Who are you?" Mickey asked looking puzzled at the two furious looking people arguing in Rose's living room.

"That's... That's the Doctor..." Rose murmured from behind him. She nudged him slightly in an attempt to make him be quiet.

"The Doctor? But he's different..."

"He's regenerated..." Rose added in a meaningful 'shut up' tone.

Mickey's focus moved to River, "Well who's this then?"

The Doctor sighed loudly, "Mickey Smith... Professor River Song..."

"Ohh I get it... I get it...!" Mickey looked from Rose to River, then back to the exasperated looking Doctor. He grinned widely, "The Mrs meets the Ex"


	20. Chapter 20

Staring at the two steaming hot cups of tea the pair sat in silence, side by side, on the modest sofa. Rose and Mickey had both jumped at the chance to give them some space when Mickey's grandma had called.

"... You said no..." the Doctor sighed at last, "I gave my life for you..."

"And I gave mine for you... Doctor... Just ask me"

"I'd give you the universe if you asked for it..." he continued quietly lifting the cup to his lips. River shook her head in despair. Was it really too much to ask for him to open his mouth and be a man? All he had to do was ask her one simple question and everything would fall perfectly into place. He really was hard work.

"Just ask me Doctor..." she repeated impatiently watching him set his cup down. He sighed and shook his head. He wanted to tell her that he loved her. Love was such a strong word. Was it really love? Or more of a _need_ to know more about the mysterious River Song? A _need _that he couldn't control...

He thought about the night they'd spent together. He hadn't been able to control that.

The Doctor glanced to her sat beside him. Her hands lay gently in her lap, her feet nervously one on top of the other. She wanted something real, something she could touch. Not just words on a page. He considered her a moment longer. He soft curls, her gentle eyes, every delicate feature that lined her face. She turned those sparkling spheres towards him. He looked sternly into her eyes before he fell to one knee in front of her.

"That's not what I ... Oh god..." she whispered breathlessly. Her cheeks flushed a furious shade of pink as he took hold of her hand.

"I'm the Doctor," he said quietly smiling into her eyes, "I'm a Time traveller... I change my face..." she put her hand up to rest on his cheek. He gripped it tightly, interlocking his fingers with hers, "I change time... But the feeling in my hearts can never change..." Their noses rubbed as he whispered the soft words into her mouth, "River Song... I love you..."

She shivered feeling his words quiver against her lips. He could reduce her to wibbly wobbly stuff in seconds, why didn't he do this more often? His eyes gleamed into hers, burning into her with the force of a thousand suns. She shut her eyes, gasping as he gently bit her bottom lip.

"I'm so in love with you," she breathed, their lips brushed gently as she spoke.

"... Marry me... River..."

"Of course I will..."

Her hand began to feel around the sofa beside her as she slowly beside to slip out of the Doctor's grip. She broke eye contact as her fingers curled around the worn leather book. It went everywhere with her... always. The Doctor's exasperated stare made her pause.

"River..." he groaned.

"If I don't write it down I'll forget!" she protested as he knocked the book from her hand and pulled her up from the sofa.

"I doubt you'll forget this"

Cupping her face in his hands he drew her into a kiss of pure Time Lord Passion. Overwhelmed she gripped his shoulders tightly.

"Is that my tongue...?"

"Yep"

"... Down her throat?"

"Yep"

"Blimey..."

"Uhm... Doctor..." Rose's worried voice came from the doorway. The pair broke suddenly apart, turning quickly to the doorway.

"Oh" the Doctor gasped.

"We've got a problem"

The blonde stood central in the door frame. To her left, the Doctor's previous trench coat clad incarnation. In his hand he held a small tube of peanuts he'd saved from his trip to Midnight. Putting one to his mouth he grinned excitedly. To Rose's right was the much taller, big eared, black leather jacket clad ninth incarnation. He rocked backwards and forwards on his feet, hands clasped firmly together behind his back.

"Peanut?" the younger Doctor asked offering the tube to the stunned lovers.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author: Although there are 3 Doctors, essentially, they're all the same person. So they will be referred to as if they are interacting with themselves... which in a technical sense... they are. Slightly confusing, I know, this is what happens when Doctors collide...  
**

"So time is all wibbly wobbly then" the large eared Doctor pondered quietly.

"Yep," he replied offering another peanut to their oldest incarnation.

"All... Wibbly and wobbly..." he confirmed lifting the peanut slowly to his mouth.

"Isn't this going to create a paradox...? Doctor... I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to meet yourself like this..." River looked at the three Doctors squashed side by side on the sofa. _Her_ Doctor was squished between the pair looking quite ruffled as he was continuously offered peanuts.

"A paradox... No... No we're all supposed to exist... We're just not supposed to meet... It's different... It's..."

"... It's a bit weird..." his Tenth self interrupted. Every eye turned to him with an unimpressed stare, "... Just me then..." he delved into the packet of nuts only to find that he'd offered the last one to himself. He frowned at the empty bottom before side glancing at himself slowly raising the peanut to his lips. He quickly snatched it back from the bow tied Doctor and thrust it quickly into his mouth.

"Ha!" he cried triumphantly chewing it as fast as he could.

"My peanut..." the Doctor whimpered sadly looking down at his empty hand.

"Forget the peanut," River cut in sharply, "Something has gone very wrong here"

"Time can only go wrong if an important event was displaced or meddled with..." the Doctor's Northern accent piped up.

In the middle the Doctor looked incredibly sheepish, "Ah ... Well ... I may have something to do with that then..."

"What did you do?"

The Doctor pointed to River stood before them; "She should be dead... In The Library..."

The two younger Time Lords stared at River.

"So we throw her into the Eye of Time then..." With the peanut container flung over his shoulder the Doctor rose up from his seat.

"No!" The Doctor cried in protest.

"I agree..." the other Doctor added also standing up, "It's the easiest way to fix it... Throw her in... She'll be spat back out in the right place and time and boom... Fantastic!" he beamed at River who stared coolly back at him, "Can I be there?" he added turning back to the Doctor.

"Maybe..."

"Were not doing this! There must be another way!"

River folded her arms looking exasperated, "I told you that you were hard work young..." she groaned.

"Look... Stop... Listen to me. Please. There has to be another way to fix this. Is this even such a bad thing?" he looked around at his former selves, "When did we ever get our own way...?" he turned to his ninth form, "Is it fair that you have to regenerate to save Rose? You'd hardly got started and the Daleks put it all to an end," he turned his head to his tenth form, "And you," he said, "I know you didn't want to go. Now just think... for a moment... Think about all the work we've put into this Universe, and think of how little we got in return... I love River, and I know... That you don't understand that yet. But it makes sense that she stays... She's everything. I gave you back Rose," he added quickly, hoping to sway their decision.

The two Time Lords glanced at one another, a glint sparked in their eyes.

"Nahh," they agreed childishly.

In a joint effort they scooped up the shocked River Song and began to march towards the doorway with her.

"No!" the Doctor cried rushing after them.

"Boys," Rose soothed quietly as they neared her, "Boys..." she put a hand gently upon the Tenth Doctor's cheek, "Wouldn't _you_ risk the Universe for me?"

The pair looked around River at one another, in silent agreement they lowered the Professor to the ground.

"What do you have in mind? And it had better be good," the youngest Doctor warned folding his arms impatiently.


	22. Chapter 22

"That's the plan?" Rose stared in disbelief at the Doctor whom she had never encountered during her time travelling days, "Just leave it?"

"The universe is vast... And complicated... It _will_ adjust... I know it will...," he replied as calmly as he could. His fingers tugged absentmindedly at his bow tie, "It has to. I can't condemn you to a life in a parallel world no more than I can allow River to die for me... again"

Rose stared at him for a moment. Her whole manner softened towards him. He was her Doctor, deep down, somewhere.

"I missed you," she uttered quietly.

He gave her a weak smile, "I know... Now... I think we should all just..."

"On the beach... You said to me... You said Rose Tyler... How was that sentence supposed to end?"

The Doctor looked across to his suited self. Approaching her from behind he carefully took hold of her shoulder and turned her to face him. He looked firmly into her eyes before putting his lips to her ear and whispering the words she'd always wanted him to say.

They stared at each other, a stare so strong that everything around them dissolved into nothing. In an act of pure desperation and longing Rose gripped the back of his head and forced her mouth against his, struggling in the midst of their fiery passion to further deepen the kiss she'd waited her life for.

The Doctor looked in surprise at River.

"I didn't..." he said quickly.

His Northern incarnation looked to the shell shocked Mickey beside him, "Well how was I supposed to know?" he asked shaking his head despair.

The reunited lovers fought desperately to stay entwined, fighting the urgent need to breathe. Sharp gasps and moans filled the silent living space. Overpowered by the blondes hungry need for him the Doctor stumbled backwards, they fell to the floor with a thud.

"Anyway!" the Doctor continued, "I think we should all just go back to whatever we were doing before we came here, whenever that may be..."

"Right then... Back to chasing giant squids around Space LA... Fancy it Ricky?" the Doctor turned to Mickey.

"It's Mickey... And Yeah... Why not..."

Watching the two men leave the Doctor slowly found Rivers hand, "Come on," he said quietly, "Time to go... See you at the place Doctor!" he added loudly, "Don't be late..."

"Mmmhmmmfffft" came the reply from the floor.

River squeezed his hand tightly as they stepped carefully over the two oblivious lovers.

Outside in the cold harsh wind they laughed loudly.

"So that's what your ninth face looked like!" River cried, "I never saw you in person before!"

"Yeah I know" the Doctor chuckled mimicking large ears with his hands, "Disaster really..."

"Not completely," she assured him as she wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling into him as they strolled along, "So... What now?"

River grinned up at him, drawing him into a delicate kiss.

Never in his life had he met anyone quite like River. Never had he even expected to be marrying someone like River. Always keeping secrets and spoilers from each other, though he imagined they'd reached the point where spoilers no longer mattered.

"Time is still unravelling, fixed points have shifted..." he began, opening the Tardis door and stepping inside.

Pulling him closer she whispered excitedly in his ear, "Show me"

"Really?" he asked sounding surprised, "You may not like what you see... I may not like what I see... Might be a disaster..."

"Doctor... How did you know where to start?" she asked suddenly.

"I didn't... I just knew it was a big event... Big events just pull you in..."

"Well let's go find a few more big events. We'll only get to see them once"

"Yes," the Doctor murmured absentmindedly leaning forward against the console, "But first... Rules... We are observers only..."

"The one rule you never stuck by..."

"What's that...?"

"Nothing... Absolutely nothing..."


	23. Chapter 23

"So where are you setting her to?" River asked watching his hands move deftly around the console.

"I'm not setting it for anywhere... The Tardis is clever... She'll know when and where to land... Like I said... Big events pull you in... It's how I travel... Well... How I used to travel... Keeps it interesting..."

River continued to watch him, her head cocked to one side. Sensing her eyes upon him the Doctor paused, meeting her stare with brilliantly bright eyes.

"Come on," he smiled taking a firm hold of her hand as he hurried them towards the doors.

River managed a quick roll of her eyes as she was dragged along... All this running...

The moment she left the Tardis she knew instantly where she was. Numerous sites had been sectioned off. There were people, lots of people, all in beige and brown coloured shirts and trousers. Each of them down close to the ground working away with their well kept excavation kits. River remembered it well; her very first archaeological dig since passing her degree. She beamed up at the Doctor.

"Oh I remember this well," she said quietly, "My first dig"

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Archaeologists," he mumbled stuffing his hands in his pockets, "Meet you back here in an hour or so..." he started off down the small muddy slope towards the diggers leaving River stood alone still brimming with excitement. She shook her head at how casually he'd taken it, a full smile across her lips.

She'd been a big event too. If only he'd accept it.

* * *

The Doctor wandered between the cordoned off sites. He usually liked to skip this part of time. He much preferred to see the recovered items once they'd been cleaned and mounted in a museum.

Not many of the things he saw gripped his attention. He recognised each of the dirt coated items; there wasn't much the Doctor hadn't seen. He stopped abruptly; something caught his eye in a site to his left.

"Can't be..." he breathed stepping over the low white cord. The archaeologist had her back to him, in her hands she held up a small dirty black leather book. The Doctor stepped quietly closer, staring in disbelief at the book. She carefully peeled open the cover to reveal the first perfectly preserved page, "One of mine," he said quietly. She didn't turn around as she continued to slowly turn over each well kept page. The Doctor recognised his handwriting instantly, written in his own language. Thankfully no one from now until the end of time would be able to read from his Diary. Inside it held all of his deepest darkest fears. It held everything.

"The writing," she said quietly, "Old High Gallifreyan"

The Doctor froze as she began to read from the age old Diary, "... When she turned, her eyes shone with the power of a thousand stars..."

"Hey!" the Doctor cried indignantly snatching the book from her hands.

She spun around to face him. All of a sudden the passage made perfect sense. Her eyes did indeed shine with the power of a thousand stars.

"... And her hair was as golden as every sun that ever shone..." she continued with a whisper. The Doctor glanced briefly at her golden curls. He shook his head as he backed away slowly.

"No," he breathed, "...No..."

"Doctor...?" she asked as she stood up. The young archaeologist wiped her hands on the cloth she'd had beside her before letting it drop onto her open kit. The Doctor could hardly breathe as he stumbled backwards over the cord and out of her site, "Doctor," she said more firmly, "Tell me you remember me"

He stared at her. Nothing else, just stared at her. His hand clutched the dirt coated Diary.

"River," he stammered.

"See Sweetie... You do remember," she smiled taking a few steps towards him. He stepped back equalling her steps, "Doctor don't be silly. You said you'd come back... Today... And you have. I know you don't remember me like this..." she chuckled lightly, "I was only a little girl the last time..."

The Doctor looked thoroughly horrified, "A little girl! ?"

"Yes. You said you were a Time Traveller... That you'd see me again. You left me a book of Old High Gallifreyan... The lost language. You said I could call for you anytime. And you'd come to me... 'Whenever' I was"

The Doctor stared at her a moment, "River?" he repeated quietly.


	24. Chapter 24

They stared at one another. River frowned slightly, "Are you okay Doctor? You look like you've seen a ghost..."

"Well... Maybe I have..." he shook his head, freeing him from the dazed state he'd found himself in, "Or... Maybe... A huge spoiler..." he crept closer, now intrigued by his own thoughts.

"Doctor it's fascinating don't you think!" River's voice called from over his shoulder. He turned quickly, over his shoulder River stared open mouthed at her young self,

"Ah yes... I can explain... But right now... It's time to go..." he grabbed River's hand and began to lead her away hurriedly, "Wait!" he yelled suddenly running back to the young archaeologist. He lent down to whisper in her ear, "Write down every time we meet... It's important"

"What? Why?" she panicked as he strode away.

"Trust me!" he called, "I'm the Doctor!"

"Wait!" River cried stopping a few feet from the Tardis. She turned to him quickly, "You kissed me"

"I what...?"

"You kissed me... You came back to me... And you kissed me..."

The Doctor spun his head around at each of the Rivers, "You remember this? ... Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! Hurry up!" she cried before pushing the door of the Tardis open and vanishing from view.

Not wanting to disrupt time further the Doctor slipped and skidded down the muddy hill to the mere twenty something River Song.

"Excuse me a minute... This won't hurt a bit," he uttered as he pulled her into a swift meaningful kiss, "There... Sorry about that..." Without pausing to see her reaction he fled back up the slope to the Tardis.

"That's new," he heard River exclaiming.

"What is?" he asked joining her at the console. In her hands she held her open diary. The Doctor was just in time to the see the open pages rewriting themselves, "Why's it doing that then?" he took it from her hands. She attempted to clutch at it in silent protest but decided that it was probably not the best idea she'd had, "Time... must be rewriting for you... but why..." He looked down to River's very sheepish smile, "River..."

"Well I couldn't wait my whole life again just to kiss you!" she cried snatching the Diary back, "I never stopped thinking about you... I knew you'd come back... I just didn't know _when_. Do you know what it's like waiting for you to just burst back into my life?" The Doctor stared at her calmly, "No... You'd much rather take the short cut wouldn't you? I didn't have a choice. I never got the chance to go with you... There was always something... or someone in the way"

"Something... Or someone..." the Doctor repeated with a mumble, "... Who...?"

River opened her mouth to respond only to find the words would not come out.

"There... See" he uttered as he set the console, "Just you" He grinned pretending to ignore her indignant glare, "Professor Song... Afraid to love... Blimey... And here I was... Thinking that you weren't afraid of anything"

"No one likes a know it all Doctor," she replied curtly watching him launch the Tardis into the stars.

"Ah... Yes... Well... Some people... Some people don't like not knowing it all. I know that I don't know it all... And you do... Oh you do... You have the book and what do I have?" he threw the dirt coated Diary that he'd acquired onto the console, "A memory... A memory that I don't know anything about yet"

"Why don't you open it and see what it says?"

"Because..."

"... Because the whole universe would crack like an egg... Just open the book" River snapped impatiently, "The whole universe doesn't stop just because you read your own Diary... Just get on with it"

The Doctors stubborn stare met with River's defiant glare.

"Fine," he grumbled snatching the book back from the console. He eyed her suspiciously before slowly pulling the pages open. The chapter he'd opened at was near to the end of the diary. His eyes skimmed a few sentences. Before he'd even got halfway down the page River's hand sprung out of nowhere and forced the book closed, "Hey!" he exclaimed indignantly.

"Doctor..." she uttered as calmly as she could.

"What?" he asked clutching the book tightly.

"Its silent..."

"It's always quiet in here... Sort of"

"No... It's silent..."

Not even the soothing sound of the Tardis could be heard. They stared at each other, a look of fear in their eyes.

"Throw it," River bluntly insisted, "Now"

"What?"

"Doctor! Get rid of it!" she cried.

In an ungraceful scramble the Doctor flew towards the Tardis doors. He wrenched one door open and threw the book boomerang style out into the passing supernova. Slamming the door shut he glared across to River, "Just get on with it?" he repeated scornfully, "Great idea"


	25. Chapter 25

"What was that?"

"End of the universe? Can't be sure. But what I do know is... Time is rewriting... Changing... All around us. In every time... In every space, every parallel, every star that ever was... Or will be"

River watched his expression carefully. The Doctor was a difficult man to read. An engagement meant nothing. They'd always remain a mystery to one another from now until they died.

Unless they saw the other die first.

With his head in his hand the Doctor sighed, his fringe flopped messily over his fingers.

"Time is changing... Okay... But what does that mean for us?"

"I don't know..."

"What about me? Doctor... I changed my timeline... I..."

"I don't know," he snapped looking up, "But there it is," he waved a hand flippantly towards the Tardis door, "And there's nothing we can do about it"

He hadn't read from the diary, whatever the result of him reading from it was, it had been prevented now. He folded his arms and looked across to his blonde curly haired lover. He shook his head sadly at her. He had no idea what to do.

The Time Lord was about to turn to face the controls when the Tardis lurched roughly to one side, then the other. The Doctor's legs couldn't keep up with the violent turbulence. He fell unsteadily against a rail struggling to stay at the very least, upright. His eyes darted about, unable to see what had happened to River. The Tardis spun even more out of control. Falling through the vortex at a dangerous pace.

"River!" the Doctor cried out, "River!"

Without warning the Tardis doors flew open. Like a vacuum everything began to be pulled from the Tardis and out into the Vortex.

He saw her. Clinging for dear life to the doorframe of the Tardis,

"River!" he yelled, "Dont let go! Don't let go!"

"Doctor!" River's petrified scream was barely audible over the destruction going on around them. Her fingers were sweaty. Slipping. She could barely think. She could barely hold on.

It couldn't be the end. It couldn't.

Her fingers slipped.

"River!" the Doctor yelled. He released the rail he was holding. The immense force dragged him easily through the air to the open doorway. One door closed sharply, catching him unexpectedly.

He could see her, see her body falling through the vortex. He leaned far out aiming with his screwdriver the best he could. She vanished in a flash.

The other door snapped shut leaving him weak at the knees. A lump caught him hard in the throat. He staggered backwards further inside the Tardis.

She was gone.

With a shaking hand he pointed at the console, docking the Tardis with a weak press of the Sonic.

The Doctor fell heavily to his knees, shaking his head, unable to speak. He stared ahead blankly, His Screwdriver clattered to the floor beside him.

"River..." he murmured sadly.

How long he sat staring at the console he'll never know. Time seemed to have stopped around him. No sound reached his ears. He paid no attention to the Tardis as it flew disobediently once more on an unplanned journey.

People had more often than not left his life very unexpectedly. Rose was a prime example. There were few instances however, which had the Doctor screaming, and squirming, and dying inside. This was one of those moments and as he clung desperately to the console's edge a hole was forming inside of him, as big as the Time Vortex itself.

River was everything. Whether he liked it or not. His past, present and future. No one knew him better. No one. Not even himself.

A single tear escaped down his cheek.

It splashed against the glass floor. In that single tear the Doctor saw the whole of reality. Time and space in every dimension. He could find her. They could find her. She was a big event.

"And big events pull you in," he whispered realising that the Tardis had once more landed.

* * *

"Earth. 51st century. And a bit..." he looked around the non idyllic, dirty, run down street of terrace houses, "Basic" he finished, "Back to basics" he mumbled as he pulled the Tardis door shut behind him, "Cool"

It reminded him of how London had looked during World War Two. He winced slightly, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable in his new attire. He tugged at his bow tie; his fingers explored each of the folds as he began to make his way down the cobbles of the seemingly deserted street.

Humans. Always so nostalgic, they never really wanted to break free from their known way of life. Give them a crisis and what did they do? They went straight back to rationing and bomb shelters. Probably even shared with the families next door. Played board games or jumping jacks. He had to admire them really. Humans, survivors.

They'd outlived the Time Lords; they must be doing something right.

The Doctor sighed. He'd forgotten what it was like to be lonely. He wondered how he'd ever coped without River. How in the universe would he survive without her now?

He was suddenly aware of how loud his boots were on the cobbles. That's when he felt them, eyes upon him. Lots of eyes, watching, waiting... for his next move. The Doctor's eyes moved slowly up and down the rows, seeing everything. The flicker of curtains, the rustle of nets.

Shrugging and pulling his jacket closer around him, he continued on. Whatever had pulled the Tardis here was important. It was only a matter of time until he found it.

And he _would _find it.


	26. Chapter 26

He reached the end of the row houses with ease. His ancient eyes scanned the street behind him, all the way back down to the bottom to where his faithful Time Machine stood. Turning back away from the desolate buildings the Doctor found himself facing a less than impressive park area. The street ran straight into grassy back fields. Rusty climbing frames, wooden seated swings. He sighed in despair, what a depressing place to be drawn to. It was then he caught a glimpse of the first sign of life since his arrival. What appeared to be a group of children gathered under a large wooden climbing area. The Doctor squinted, taking slow and careful steps towards them.

He was able to get quite close without being noticed. Close enough to be able to hear their conversation.

"_Why do you play with that? It's stupid"_

"_Yeh why don't you get a real toy?"_

"_What's the matter? Can't your mum buy you a real toy?"_

The Doctor frowned, not liking a word of what he was hearing. He stepped firmly into view.

"Hey" he grumbled, "What's all this then?"

In a wild panic the group scattered. The Doctor's head spun this way and that watching the children dispersing and fleeing the scene. How terribly cruel children could be, and yet, he couldn't bare to see them cry.

Small sobs caught his attention. He took hold of the wooden frame as he crouched down to look inside the small hidey hole, "Hello," he said quietly spying the small figure huddled in the shadows, "What's your name then?" The figure turned away from him, "I hope those weren't your friends, not very nice are they?" he continued settling himself down on the grass just inside the small hidey hole.

"Ri... Riv... River," the voice sobbed.

The Doctor froze suddenly, "River?" he spluttered.

A small blonde curly haired head bobbed out of the shadows, "What's wrong with my name?" she asked.

The Doctor stared in amazement at her, the youngest he'd ever seen her. River Song. _His_ River. If only she knew how brilliant she'd turn out to be.

"It's a brilliant name," he smiled, "Tell me River... What are you doing out here?"

"I was..." her voice trailed away, "... Nothing"

"_Come on_... You can tell me," he smiled.

"Digging," she murmured.

"Digging?"

"With this..." she brought out what appeared to be a very rusty broken handheld shovel.

The Doctor smiled warmly, same old River.

"Ah. Yes. Digging... So you... must want to be an archaeologist when you grow up," he beamed taking the small object from her, "But you're going to need a better shovel than this" He glanced down at her knowingly before casually throwing it over his shoulder. He rose a stern finger to put a stop to the hurt expression she produced as he delved into his pocket and rummaged around slightly, "How old are you River?" he asked thoughtfully as he continued to search his pocket.

"Nine and a half"

"Wow nine... _and a half..._ well then you should definitely have one of these by now" He continued to tug and pull the overly large object from his jacket pocket. From what the curious little girl could see it was a highly polished wooden box, "Ah ha," he beamed as it came free.

"How did that fit in there?" she asked huddling up to him staring with interest at the box.

"It's bigger on the inside," he smiled knowingly, "Now; let's have a look in here shall we?" Lifting the lid slowly he watched her excited expression.

"Oh Mister..."

"Doctor... The Doctor... call me the Doctor"

"It's beautiful!"

Her eyes shone down on the array of brushes and small digging implements. The Doctor chuckled, taking a moment to look out to the deserted area.

Something wasn't right.

He felt a soft tapping on his arm.

"Are you married?" she asked. The Doctor stared at her for a moment.

"... Yes" he said finally.

"Is she pretty?"

He frowned at her slightly, before complying.

"Yes... She's beautiful"

"What's her name?"

"Where are your parents River?" he asked rapidly changing the subject.

"At work..."

"And where's everyone else? The people who live in this street, where are they?"

As she looked at him the Doctor could sense the fear in her eyes.

"Okay... So it's everywhere..." he whispered turning to look back out of the small hidey hole.

"How do you know...?"

"_Nothing_ scares River Song... So it has to be everywhere... Come along Song" He scrambled to his feet before offering his hand to the little girl. At this moment in time he was sure his life could get no stranger. He looked down in amusement at her blonde curly hair and the eyes that twinkled in exactly the same manner as the River he knew. He shook his head with a smile, leading her back towards the deserted street.

He felt her grip tighten as they neared the end of the road.

"You know what I think?" the Doctor said calmly looking up at the second floor windows. River shook her head in reply, half hiding behind him; her archaeology kit tucked tightly under her arm, "I think... you must have _really_ scary neighbours"


	27. Chapter 27

The Doctor stood in the doorway to River's home. He rocked backwards and forwards on the soles of his shoes, humbled by his surroundings.

"Do you want a drink?" River asked looking up at him.

"Yes why not?" he beamed down at her. Turning around his pushed the front door shut and locked it with a nervous press of his Sonic.

The kitchen was tiny with no room spare to accommodate a table and chairs. His eyes flicked around at the lack of any decent wallpaper, any flooring, or basically... anything. A small cup was thrust under his nose.

"We've only got water sorry," she apologised. The Doctor rested a hand on her head as he took a long sip from the cup.

"There's nothing better than water," he reassured her, "Now then... Tell me... What's going on here?"

"They disappear," River whispered quietly, looking around nervously as if afraid that she may be overheard.

"Who? Who disappear?"

"People"

The Doctor frowned as he crouched down to her level, he shook his head from side to side... his expression puzzled in an attempt to draw more information from the pint sized, time travelling, archaeologist of the future. He leaned in close, tilting his left ear towards her.

"They scream... And then they're gone," she whispered.

As if on queue a high pitched scream filled the air. The Doctor shot up and darted for the doorway. Crashing through the front door he dived out into the empty street... spinning around frantically. He pushed his hair back from his face as he tried to identify the origin of the scream. Up in a high window a few houses along he could see a blinding white light erupt and subside almost in the same second. He flicked his screwdriver at the window and hurriedly checked the readings – Too far away.

He hadn't done much running in his new boots, now was as good a time as any to wear them in. He burst into the humble home. Thundered up the narrow stairs. Flew into the front bedroom, and was greeted by two people cowering in the opposite corner. Seemingly a father and son.

The Doctor looked frantically around, "What happened here?" he demanded, "Tell me!"

The young boy pointed a shaking finger at the space between them. The Doctor waved a buzzing and glowing Screwdriver around in the air. After a moment he checked the readings.

"Impossible," he murmured. From his pocket he took out his trusty paper 3D glasses and thrust them onto his face, "But it's here..." He waved his hand around in front of his face, "Wow," He grinned childishly as he waved and wiggled both hands around in front of him. Snatching the glasses from his face he now addressed the father and son, "Ah yes... John Smith," he beamed holding up his psychic paper, "Wibbly Wobbly Investigator... Now... Tell me what you saw"

"Uh... A... A white light... My... My wife... it took my wife!" the man stammered climbing to his feet, his hand too pointing now at the empty space between him and the Doctor.

"A white light...?" the Doctor puzzled, "A _white_ light... Not a grey light?"

The man paused, glaring indignantly at the Doctor, "Is the colour so important?" he cried, "It took my wife!"

The Doctor frowned stepping right up to him, "It's _very _important," he said darkly.

"Doctor!"

The scream broke the dangerous silence. The Doctor went suddenly cold.

"Riverr!" he yelled backing hurriedly out of the room. He retraced his steps with a furious pace until he skidded to a halt in River's kitchen doorway, "Oh Ohh! You beauty!" he gushed as the bright light illuminated and flickered across his face. In front of him was a hole as big as the Tardis exterior. It flickered like a snowy television screen. With his Screwdriver aimed at it and began to sidestep carefully around it.

"River!" he called out, eyes fixed firmly on the hole, "River! Where are you?"

With a hiss and a crack the hole snapped shut. He thrust his 3D glasses on again, stepping into the space and waving his hand about. Wriggling his fingers he sighed loudly. Glasses off he stood perfectly still, feeling slightly lost. He looked up for someone to talk to, to discuss his next move with. There was no one. On the worktop beside the sink sat the wooden archaeology kit he'd given her, and an empty cup.

"Grr... rrr.. Arrrghhh!" he raged swiping an arm at the items sending them crashing across the small kitchen. His hand clenched his Screwdriver so tightly it hurt. He stormed out of the house and into the now full street. It seemed that the neighbours here were like any others. They loved something to look at. Mostly occupying their own doorways, a few had dared to step out into the street. They watched as the Doctor stormed to the 'Public Call Box' at the end of the street. He entered it. And didn't come out.

* * *

"I don't care about Time Stops! I don't care about Matter Lines! Widen the field!" He spat at the console. The Doctor furiously struck the keys of the typewriter and rammed a few levers into place. In temper he kicked the console as hard as he could, "This isn't difficult!" he cried, "We have to get her back! Why wouldn't you want her back!"

The Tardis hummed and beeped in reply, to which he frowned in disgust, "I'll get us back out! You have to do this!"

An annoyed and irritated array of beeping and flashing lights danced across the console before switching off completely.

"Don't mess with me sweetheart," the Doctor grumbled through gritted teeth. He pointed his screwdriver at the console, and without regret, pressed the button down hard. The Tardis screamed reluctantly back to life, "Look..." he sighed flopping back onto the sofa, head in hands, "I promise... I'll fix your Chameleon circuits... Please... I can't lose her twice... I can't... I..." His voice broke with his final plea, he was reduced to a blubbering wreck. He cried silently, tears streaked his face and began to fall in small pools onto the glass floor.

The Tardis beeped apologetically.

"No," he insisted raising a hand, "No... I don't need a tissue"

The console beeped more urgently.

"I don't need a hug"

The Tardis shook, grumbled and burst into life. The Doctor was thrown against the console. He held on tightly to steady himself, pulling the screen around quickly.

"We're flying into it!" he cried, "You daft old thing!"

He was thrown head over heels, landing on his back against the cool glass floor, "Well what do you expect!" he cried with a chuckle, "Turbulence is expected! HaHaa! Hold on tight! Geronimo!"


	28. Chapter 28

Peering out of the Tardis doors the Doctor instantly regretted his heroic urge. He couldn't exactly leave empty handed. That wasn't his style. Ha. His style... His style was a bow tie and suspenders. Ha. What did he know about style?

Outside looked more like the inside of a volcano.

"Not bad," he murmured turning to pull the door shut behind him, "Don't wander off," he warned as the door clicked closed, "Now then, let's have a look then shall we"

Hands clasped together behind his back he strode off away from the safety of the Tardis, into the dangers of this extraordinary place. In some places he was required to merely hop over a gap in the uneven stone floor. In others a running jump was required to avoid falling into the stream of lava below. It was rare nowadays that the Doctor got to visit dangerous places like this. He found it to be quite exciting, though as the Tardis was forced to be stationary wherever they went, he was now without backup from a companion. His Screwdriver felt cold in his hand as he continued onwards. He glanced down the side of the cliff edge he was walking along. He grinned widely. On a lower level he could see a small group of people huddled close together. Hoping the Tardis would control the gravity he jumped – Yes – Jumped.

"Geronimo!" he cried feeling the rush of air past his ears and through his hair. Landing lightly on his boots the Doctor turned to stare up at the cliff top, "Thanks dear," he grinned, "Now then! _You lot!_ I wondered where you lot had got to!"

All in there were eleven people crowded together. They stared in astonishment at him. A well dressed man spoke first.

"How did you get here?"

"Ah... Yes... Well... I jumped," the Doctor beamed.

"You jumped? It... It didn't take you?"

"Of course not," the Doctor laughed waving a dismissive hand, "Would've spit me out in a shot... No... I had to come..."

"Doctor?"

The voice made him turn. He grinned to himself broadly, a hint of a smirk at his unrivalled success rate, "River!" he beamed crouching down as she ran into his arms, "You're okay... Good... That's good," he said quietly.

"Doctor it's so scary here" Her voice was shaky, "What happened to us? What was it?"

The Doctor stood up, offering his hand to River, which she accepted, "You fell through a Grey hole"

"A Grey hole?" a voice asked.

"Like a Black hole, but different. A Black hole takes in 'matter' any 'matter'... doesn't let go... crushes it instantly. A White hole throws stuff out into the universe... Random things... Stars... Comets... But a Grey hole. Does both. A Grey hole can break down the boundaries between dimensions... Or exist in a state of flux with a whole manner of time-space distortions. They're very rare. _Very_ rare... They shouldn't exist in our universe. So we're _very_ lucky. It's a _beauty_!"

"Lucky?" another outraged voice piped up.

"How do we get out?"

"We walk...?" the Doctor offered with a chuckle.

"The monsters won't let us past," River whispered tugging his arm. The Doctor looked down at her terrified expression.

"Monsters?" the Doctor repeated with a glint in his eye, "Well then... _Come on_!"

* * *

The gates indicating the exit were guarded by two large black shadow like creatures. They had no specific form, but the red eyes glowed menacingly out at the crowd.

River hid behind the Doctor, he raised his screwdriver at the two Guardians.

"Are you scared of them?" she asked holding tightly onto his jacket.

"No... but they should be scared of me," he said darkly.

"What are they Doctor?"

"Vorpon. Guardians of the Boundary Nexus... Am I right? You big old beasties?"

The Nexus forms merely growled at the Time Lord, though he knew their intelligence was far superior to the noises they were making.

"I'm prepared to make you a deal," he continued, his screwdriver still poised, "Let us go... And you can continue to guard the Boundary... You'll be in a lot of trouble when the news gets around that you've allowed the Nexus to be breached. The hole will close... and we'll all... cease to exist," he smirked over the tip of his Screwdriver, "What dya say? Let us go..."

The forms merged together with a scream creating a black mass of shadow in front of the gates.

The Doctor turned to look at the crowd behind him, "Ah... Right... Yes... Well now. I thought they might say that," he turned back to face the solid mass, "Right then...!" he said loudly aiming his Screwdriver.

A square blast shot from behind them, it powered over their heads and crashed into the Vorpons. A perfectly square hole appeared in them and through the gate beyond. The Doctor didn't question the act.

"Run!" he yelled fiercely dragging River with him through the hole. Their footsteps pounded against the floor. Their legs moved so fast they nearly fell over.

This was how the Doctor lived. Every day, every hour, every second.

The sight of his blue Time Machine made his legs feel like jelly. He clicked his fingers as he ran, the door swung obediently inwards, "In! In! Everybody in!" he cried releasing River's hand, so he could usher everyone inside. As the last person fled inside past him he heaved a sigh of relief. He began to follow.

"Doctor!"

He froze – That voice.

His hearts stopped as he turned slowly.

There, fleeing towards him, with the Nexus Guardians in hot pursuit, was River Song.


	29. Chapter 29

His legs shook, eyes brimmed with the onset of tears.

It was her.

"River!" he cried breaking into a light jog which turned quickly into a run.

The breath was knocked out of them as they collided heavily.

And he cried.

The material of her shirt was soft and cool. River's curves fit perfectly against his body. He'd missed desperately the scent of her soft blonde curls. With her cheek firmly against his, their tears merged into one. Their arms couldn't hold enough of the other. They held onto to each other so tightly. River gripped fist fulls of his jacket , burying her face into his chest. She took deep breaths of him in, he smelt just like he always did. He smelt just like 'Time'. She couldn't get closer to him if she tried, pressed so firmly against him, any closer and they would become the same person.

"I've missed you," he whispered into her neck, "I thought I lost you"

They pulled apart long enough to see the desperation in the others eyes. His eyes watched her lips for a moment before returning to gaze at her. Their lips met with a fiery passion hot enough to rival their surroundings.

They were lost in each other. Like only a couple deeply in love could be.

Time stopped around them.

Their lips met, noses rubbed, cheeks touched. It had been mere hours, yet he'd missed her so much. His hearts were racing so fast he felt as though he'd collapse at any moment. He could hardly breathe. With his fingers tangled in her unruly curls, he used them to tug her gently back towards him. Their mouths meeting in another battle of uncontrolled passion. They broke apart, staring still in disbelief at one another.

"They're behind me aren't they?"

"Oh yeah," the Doctor remembered the Vorpons. They grinned widely. River pressed a quick button on her Vortex Manipulator. As the Guardians attacked the pair were thrown a few metres to the right.

"Oh I forgot. It's broken!" River suddenly informed him as she snatched herself closer to her Time Lord.

The Doctors eyes were wide, "_Now you tell me_!" he cried as the Vorpons came in for another attack. This time they were thrown several metres to the left by the damaged time travelling device.

"Doctor quickly," she instructed grabbing his arm and leading him towards the Tardis. Behind them the Guardians were preparing for another swoop.

"Aarrggh!" the Doctor cried. River's Vortex Manipulator launched them a few feet further on, "River!" he warned, "Stop...!" They were thrown again, closer to the Tardis, "... Doing that!"

All the Time hopping was beginning to make him feel queasy. Interlocking his fingers with hers he pulled her into the safety of the Tardis. He slammed the door shut and ran past the gathering of people.

"We need to get out of here"

The Doctor took control of the far side of the console, while River positioned herself at the nearside.

"Ready?" he asked her with a grin.

"Always," she beamed.

Moving in perfect sync they battled around the controls, matching every press, every switch, every pull and every push.

"Left hand down! Left hand down!" the Doctor called to River as the Tardis began to shake violently.

"Use the stabilisers!"

"It doesn't..."

"Don't you dare! You know where they are! Use the stabilisers!"

"Two steps right! Third lever, up!" he called ignoring her.

"Doctor!" she yelled impatiently as she followed his instructions, "Blue stabilisers!"

Again he chose to ignore her, side stepping in the opposite direction. The Tardis lurched this way and that, throwing its passengers around as if they were dolls. The Doctor gripped the console, he closed his eyes as another nauseous wave swept over him – This was ridiculous. In defeat he tried to reach for the blue buttons. He struggled and gasped, his fingers were inches away.

"Grrr... rrrrr... ahh," he cried in frustration as another turbulent wave threw him further away from the buttons. Out of nowhere a small hand reached up and pressed firmly down on the stabilisers. All the turbulence ceased, the Doctor cast his eyes on the young River Song in amusement. She snatched her hand back from the console quickly and stared up at him with an apologetic expression. He beamed down at her before picking her up and spinning her around, "River Song! You are brilliant!" he cried setting her down again.

River stepped across to join him, slipping her fingers between his, "I told you"

"Is that your wife?" the little girl whispered a little too loudly.

The Doctor paused and looked suddenly to the River on his arm, "Yes," he said finally, "Right. Now then... You lot... Time to go home," he turned to the people he'd rescued, "Out we go" He led the two Rivers to the doors and pulled them open.

"We're home!" the little girl cried running out into the street. Everyone was greeted by their families. There wasn't a dry eye in the whole street.

The Doctor turned back to River, "How?" he asked simply, "I tried to set your Vortex Manipulator when you fell..."

She silenced him by pressing a finger firmly against his lips replacing it smoothly by her own soft lips, "It doesn't matter," she whispered soothingly into his mouth.

"Doctor?"

The pair looked down at the owner of the voice.

"River!" the Doctor smiled, "You saved us all back there," he patted her head fondly, "I have something for you," he winked at his future wife knowingly as he delved into his pocket, "Here you go" Little River accepted the worn looking book, "It might just save your life one day," he informed, "Old High Gallifreyan"

River grinned down at herself, she knew exactly how important that book would be, she knew exactly how many times it would be read. She watched herself run off into the renewed hustle and bustle of the street.

"At least I know you actually use it," the Doctor laughed as they shut the doors with a gentle click.

"I hardly put it down, always waiting for you to come back. And then you did"

"I always come back"


	30. Chapter 30

"Now what?" he asked once they were safely cruising through the stars. He glanced shyly across at her over the console. His finger trailed along the controls as he made his way around to her. She was holding the Vortex Manipulator in her hands sadly, "I can fix it," he offered putting a hand out to take it. She took his hand quickly and pressed it against the cool strap.

"We had fun with this," she smiled fondly stroking his hand.

"Yeah," he said softly.

"We can't run forever Doctor. No matter how much you want to"

He took the Vortex Manipulator from her and folded it's leather straps, "How will you get back though?" he asked sadly.

"I wasn't planning on leaving," she whispered resting her hands on his shoulders.

"Oh?"

"Mmhmm," she murmured running her tongue gently across his bottom lip. She felt his body tense against her in response. A moan escaped her as their bodies pressed into one another, he was forced against the console. His arms snaked around her, under her shirt, feeling her soft skin.

She bit his bottom lip playfully; and flicked her tongue against him before he finally granted her entrance. The sensation of his tongue battling hers made her quiver. The skilled tongue of a Time Lord. Who would have guessed? He bit her lip sharply leaving her trembling and moaning softly into his mouth. In a half hearted attempt she raised her arms to push away from him. Holding her arms to stop her the Doctor turned, forcing her instead against the console. In a swift movement she slid his jacket off his shoulders allowing it to fall to the floor in a heap. The Doctor sat her on the console ignoring the few buttons pressed and switches moved. He had more important things to deal with, like proving himself as a skilled lover to the hard to impress and please River.

"Bedroom," she gasped finding that he'd already managed to unbutton her shirt completely.

"No time," he told her mouth as he assisted her by dropping his suspenders from his shoulders. In a hurry to seal his lips against hers he slipped and pushed yet another lever out of place. River's fingers tight in his hair had him quickly distracted, "Mmftt," he groaned as she dragged him closer with her legs wrapped around his waist. Beneath his feet the Doctor felt the faintest tremor. It rocked him from side to side. River seemed not to have noticed as she was already tugging off his bow tie.

"Yes but don't you see the Universe is a ball of... Wibbly... Is that me?"

The pair froze suddenly. The Doctor turned to see a tall thin man, sporting brown spiked hair and blue suit. "It's not what it looks like," he panicked hands raised.

"Of course it's what it looks like," River rolled her eyes as she slid from the console, wiping her smudged lipstick off with a finger as she did so, "Doctor," she nodded to the intruder with a cheeky grin.

He stared open mouthed at her, "Hello again," he murmured removing the glasses from his face. His eyebrows furrowed, "How...? What am I doing here?"

"Doctor I think there's something... Wrong..." Rose Tyler appeared from the left corridor. She paused seeing River, shirt wide open, bra on show, between the two Doctors, "What's going on?" she frowned.

"It's not what it looks like," they both chorused.

River shrugged simply, "I told him we should have gone to the bedroom"

"Shut up," the Doctor groaned hiding behind the hand he now used to cover his eyes.

"Not me," the dark haired Doctor piped up pointing at himself, "I... I never got asked to the bedroom"

"You're making it worse," his counter part warned from under the safety of his hand.

The Doctor looked between River and Rose, "Oh. _Ohh! … _It's not what it looks like," he repeated sheepishly shaking his head, "Definitely... Not... What it looks like... What _does_ it look like?" he asked innocently.

"Looks like we were... Ahem... Yeah..." the Doctor trailed off before retreating back under the cover of his hand.

"What's wrong with the Tardis...?" Rose asked.

Their eyes turned to the console, the whole interface was now a hybrid of both Tardis consoles. Both Time Machines had merged together.

"This can't happen," the Doctor breathed pulling his suspenders back up, "We need to separate them. Now"

River buttoned up her shirt with a sigh, "What's the plan?" she asked kneeling to pick up his bow tie.

"We need to figure out which components are from my Tardis and which are from the old Tardis and we need to pull them apart"

River clipped his tie in place, straightened his collar and planted a kiss on his cheek, "If anyone can do this you can," she purred glancing slyly to the other Doctor, "And there just so happens to be two of you"

"Yeah. Well... He's going to have to take a back seat. If anyone is going to fix this. It's this Doctor," Rose grabbed hold of the Doctor's blue lapels and forced her lips against his, "Go get em'" she whispered.


	31. Chapter 31

"That's the worst idea I've ever heard!" the Doctor cried sitting back on the hybrid sofa.

"It's the only one we have"

"Well... I don't like it"

"Oh Doctor," River sighed in exasperation, "You've been meaning to do it for a long time anyway"

"Why can't he do it?"

"Because he has to become you, and the Tardis has to become this," River waved her hand around indicating to the Tardis' current state.

"Time can be rewritten"

"Don't you _dare_ say that! It _can_ be... But it _shouldn't_! Look at what it's doing! This shouldn't be happening but it is! Don't make this worse than it already is Doctor! _Don't you dare_!"

Standing beside the arguing couple Rose and the Doctor felt sufficiently awkward.

"I'll put the kettle on," Rose murmured turning to walk away. She turned instantly back around, "Where do you think the kitchen has got to?" The silence deafened her, "I'll just... go look then..."

* * *

It took three hours, two pots of coffee, twenty four Jammy Dodgers and the return of his Fez but the Doctor finally completed the repair of the Chameleon Circuits.

"See that wasn't so hard was it?" River said calmly removing the Fez from his head, struggling to fight off the urge to shoot it.

He looked at her sadly, "It's going to work you know... I hope you're happy River"

River stared firmly into his eyes. His steely stare didn't unnerve her, neither did she feel guilty. He had to do this. It was the right thing to do.

"Ready?" the Doctor asked himself.

"I'm always ready," came the reply. They each stood opposite each other at the console. Each had a hand firmly on their own de-materialisation lever. River and Rose took their sides, and held their Doctor's arm.

"On three..."

"One..."

"... Two"

"Three! … Pull!"

* * *

The Tardis looked the same as it always did. The sofa was as normal as could be. The console room was bright and orangey again.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" she smiled glancing around the console to make sure they were alone. The Doctor looked at her with his sulky boy expression. Without another word he skulked towards the doors, disappearing outside.

River bit her lip, following him hurriedly. He was stood facing her when she popped her head out of the doors. His sad expression told her all she needed to know. She joined him and turned to look at the Tardis – A red telephone box.

"I'm sorry," she whispered putting a hand on his arm. He shrugged her off, choking to fight back the tears. He rested a hand on the glass of the door. He didn't dare speak, or he'd surely break, "Doctor, it had to be done. I'm sorry" The Doctor turned away from her. He didn't realise exactly how attached he'd been to the broken machine. Big and blue and faithful; and look at what he'd done to it – to her.

The sound of a materialising Tardis made them turn to the opposite side of the street. In a matter of seconds there it stood. To him it was merely a shadow. The blue door opened and Rose appeared, followed closely by the Doctor, sporting the blue suit he'd always liked. Blue, like the Tardis.

The Doctor bit his lip, hating the fact that they still had the blue police box, and he was left with a working Tardis, cleverly hidden in it's new surroundings.

"Look at it!" the Doctor cried spinning to look at his own time machine, "All big and blue...! … Did I mention blue? Yess... Beautiful ... It's..." Rose hit his arm sharply, she could see the tears welling up inside of the Doctor. She knew more than anyone what it was like to love the Tardis. To hear it landing or fading, to see that big blue box and getting that warm feeling deep in your heart, spreading through you like a wild fire.

The Doctor put his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers. He tapped the back of his teeth with his tongue, he could think of nothing that could make the Time Lord feel better. He knew how he felt.

"Come on," he said quietly to Rose. He gave River a firm look before entering his Tardis without a backward glance. Rose watched the Doctor apologetically as she backed after her own Doctor.

"I'm sorry," he could hear her saying as she shut the door. The Doctor watched the magnificent machine fading in and out as it left. The breeze ruffled his hair and his jacket. The air smelt as old as time. He'd miss that smell.

"Doctor..." River began as he marched past her. Even as he entered the Tardis she could just see that this wasn't right. The Doctor belonged in a Police Box.

She recalled every single time she'd seen him stepping merrily out of those blue doors with his cheeky grin.

River was brilliant at fixing things, and she had to admit, the Chameleon Circuit repair had been a fantastic success, even the base looked cemented to the pavement.

She smiled to herself. She'd make it better, somehow.


	32. Chapter 32

**Interface: Updates are going to be painfully slow, mainly because my classes started back on Monday. Apologies.**

After several failed seduction attempts River finally collapsed, exhausted on her bed. He was hard work young. She pulled her diary towards her and opened it in her lap on the next clean page. She was going to need another book to fill soon. With a long sigh she began to write. The life of a time traveller, who knew it would be such hard work?

It had been a week, a whole week, since the Tardis had been repaired. The Doctor had refused to move the Time Machine until he had successfully, UN-repaired it. So far nothing of the sort had happened. River's patience was wearing increasingly thin and there were only so many different ways she could think of to try and distract him; which weren't working.

She felt his presence in the doorway. As cruel as it was, she ignored him; and continued writing. Her pen scratched across the page until he left.

River sighed. It wasn't in her nature to be horrible to that man. Sure, she was capable of making a Dalek beg for mercy, but the Doctor, she just couldn't do it to him. Leaving the diary forgotten she trailed slowly after the miserable Time Lord, determined to cheer him up, which ever way she could.

She found him, as predicted, laying hammock style in the swing seat beneath the console. River watched him with a sad expression. As she stepped lightly around the console he came in and out of view beneath her. Her teeth held her bottom lip tightly, a twinge of guilt invaded her stomach, her hands moved slowly and carefully over the controls. Fingers pressed on switches; and closed around levers, fingertips danced quietly over keys. The stabilisers provided perfect cover as the de-materialisation lever was pulled slowly down.

River had flown the Tardis many times, both with the Doctor and alone, but never had she flown it so seriously. She moved slowly, with careful, calculated steps. Her expression serious. Her mission, quite clear.

The silent landing shook the Tardis very lightly. So lightly it was hardly noticeable. With the handbrake now securely in place the time traveller stole away to confirm that she had indeed landed in the right location.

The Tardis was an impressive sight from the outside. The grainy, blue stained, wooden doors were a sight for sore eyes. The white plaque on the door looked shiny and new. River's fingertips ran over the engraved letters and down across the cool metal handle of the door.

Definitely 1969, England. The exact time and place where the Doctor had originally gained the blue police box shape of the Tardis. River grinned, the only problem of course was that when they moved again the Tardis would take on a new form.

Well there was only one way to fix that. Or break it , whichever the case was.

* * *

Lay under the console the Doctor closed his eyes and sighed. Even in this content state he felt uneasy. Red wasn't really his colour. Well, his bow tie was red, but bow ties were cool, whatever colour they were. He reached up, eyes still closed, and felt along the folds of his bow tie gently. Maybe bow ties and the Tardis weren't so different.

The Tardis change had put things into a mild perspective. Was it really that important? He supposed not. After all, once upon a time, it had indeed worked and was able to disguise itself wherever it landed. His enemies now recognised the blue police box, maybe it would be handy to have the upper hand. Maybe...

Opening his eyes he was met by the barrel of a gun aimed at his nose. He crossed his eyes, bringing it slightly into focus.

"I have a plan," River informed him.

"This isn't the plan is it?" he murmured focusing still on the gun. River swung the gun towards the repaired Chameleon Circuits, "No!" he cried.

Too late. She fired.

His hands shot to his ears in an attempt to block out the thundering roar from the small blaster. The Tardis hissed and smoked and crashed in front of his eyes.

The circuits, were broken.

"There see," River declared blowing the smoke from the tip of her gun, "Good as new"

The Doctor stared in horror at the mass of burnt and broken wires peering out at him through the smoke.

"River have you lost your mind? Look at what you've done!"

"Oh sweetie I've only fixed what was broken... Well... Broken what was fixed"

The Doctor frowned at her, "You've ruined any chance of getting my police box back!"

River eyed him suspiciously, "Don't be silly," she laughed waving a hand at him dismissively. She led him up the metal steps, past the console, down the ramp and stood him neatly in front of the doors. The Doctor looked down at her with the exasperated expression he kept just for her.

"You remember the Tardis manual..."

"Yes..."

"I threw it into a supernova..."

"Yes you did..."

"I think I just got the urge to throw you in after it..."

"Get out now..." River forced him out through the door, pushing him firmly for good measure.

The reaction wasn't exactly what she'd been expecting. Not that she complained when she was forced against the door frame in an overpowering flood of hungry, desperately urgent kisses. They stumbled and fell just inside the doorway, a tangle of legs sticking out into the street.

River would have preferred to have been seduced after a romantic candlelit dinner; the Doctor however, always liked a short cut.

Who was she to argue?


	33. Chapter 33

**Interface: It's been a while, sorry! I didn't forget about this story! Honest! Hopefully worth the wait! It didn't help much that I wrote this while listening to 'MmmBop' =P Enjoy.  
**

River's heart fluttered for the first time in a very long while. The Doctor grinned uncontrollably, piloting the Tardis as she sat watching him. She clenched her eyes shut smiling happily in silent celebration. He glanced shyly at her, his cheeks hurt now from the grin that refused to go away. Hands gripped the console and they were off – and then they were there. The Doctor led her with playful skips down to the doors, stopping to press her against the fixed door in hurried yet loving kiss. The grinning made it almost impossible to plant a successful one against her lips. River pushed him through the open door, still allowing him to lead her by the hand.

* * *

Amy turned the 'Raggedy Doctor doll' over in her hands. It had hardly been five minutes when she heard the groaning of the Tardis engines outside. She rushed to the window and pushed the white net to one side.

She grinned. It was the Doctor; he had River with him.

Amy was only halfway down the stairs when the letterbox flicked – No knock?

There was a small envelope on the door mat. She rushed to open the door.

"Doctor!" she yelled.

"Amy!" he cried back popping his head out of the Tardis.

"What's this?" she waved the envelope over her head.

"Bye Pond!" he grinned disappearing inside completely ignoring her question.

* * *

In a seedy little spacebar Captain Jack Harkness leaned across, whispering sweet nothings into the ear of a young sandy haired soldier. Receiving an easy laugh in response he leaned back to pick up his drink, knocking it back with renewed confidence. He noticed a small white envelope in the space in which his drink had been sitting. There was no sign of who had placed it there. He pulled it towards him and opened it. Jack found himself grinning at the message, even ordered two drinks in celebration.

* * *

Sarah Jane Smith was in the middle of washing the dishes, one of the more _normal_ activities in her life. For some reason she found herself thinking of the Doctor. She smiled thinking of their last encounter together with the Shansheeth. He'd changed so much, he still smelt like time though. That's how she knew it was him. He was so…

The sound of the letterbox made her stop. She checked her watch, the post has already been. A white envelope lay on the mat. The message inside made her smile.

* * *

On a far off planet the Doctor and Rose lay in a field full of thick pink grass.

"It's right there," the Doctor said quietly pointing up at the star filled sky.

"Where?" Rose asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"There!" He felt something suddenly burning in his pocket, "Hang on," he pulled out a worn leather wallet and consulted the psychic paper, "Ooh look at that," he passed it to Rose.

She grinned widely, "Sounds brilliant"

* * *

"Get back!" the Doctor cried ramming his shoulder against the Tardis door. The overly large tentacle forcing its way inside began to squirm and wriggle.

"Doctor!" Mickey cried rushing to help. He pushed against the door with everything he had.

"Wait! Wait! Hang on," the Doctor stopped and stood upright. The tentacle seemed to agree and stopped fighting. Mickey watched as the Doctor delved thoughtfully into his jacket pocket, "Hold this Rickey," he passed across his sonic screwdriver to the stunned young man. The Doctor opened the wallet of psychic paper, "Hahaa!" he cried, "Look at that!" he held it out towards the tentacle. It wiggled happily in agreement. Mickey took it out of his hand and began to read, "We'll finish this another time," the Doctor added addressing the monster. It slithered out of the Tardis allowing the door to close easily, "Well don't just stand there looking pretty. Clean yourself up Rickey"

"It's Mickey," Mickey sulked.

* * *

They lay on the soft rug in the library. The warm glow from the fireplace made gentle shadows flick across them. River sat with her legs outstretched towards the fire. The Doctor lay with his head in her lap, welcoming her fingers pulling and stroking his hair gently. With her other hand she turned the page of the book she was reading on the rug beside her.

"River…"

"Sweetie…"

"Nothing," he whispered feeling his mouth taking up its smile again.

Leaving her to her book he wandered out and down the hall. He shook his head grinning stupidly at himself; he couldn't believe that this was happening.

And the best part…? They could go _'whenever'_ they liked.

He hung his jacket on the hat stand and let his suspenders drop. Sighing, he navigated the Tardis into the next constellation – he hoped she hadn't seen it already.

"You took your time," River said sleepily. She'd moved into his chair. He didn't let anyone sit in his chair – River wasn't 'anyone'. The book she'd been reading was sitting on the small table beside her.

The Doctor stood a moment, admiring her sleepy form slouched in his chair. As he approached she rose from the chair. He sat down; she promptly sat in lap, legs hanging over one side of the chair. River buried her face in his chest breathing in his timey-ness. The soft material of his shirt and his trademark scent made her feel perfectly safe. The Doctor kissed her forehead, finding comfort in her soft curly hair. It had been a long day, even for them.

Personally posting wedding invitations across every galaxy was no easy task, even for a Time Lord.


	34. Chapter 34

**Interface: Sorry that these are really slow in being posted. If you're reading this - did you get a notification about it if you're subscribed to this ? - I didn't get one =S If you could let me know. That would be great. Cheers.  
**

They awoke in a tangled heap from their late night love making. The fire had finally burnt out though it still produced the same warmth, another handy perk of being in the Tardis. The Doctor laid a few gentle kisses down her arm stirring her from her peaceful sleep. She turned over to face him, looking up at him through shy and loving eyes. He smiled, tracing a fingertip down her stomach before pulling her into a tight embrace. His lips sealed against her neck.

"Not again," she warned him swatting away his wandering hand. The Doctor tucked a few loose curls behind her ear. His eyes caressed her revealed body beneath him.

"River Song," he told her, "You're the most beautiful time traveller in the universe" For a few long moments they held onto each other. Frightened that if they let go, it would be last time that they were this close, "Now," the Doctor pulled away gently, "Where did my screwdriver get to?"

River bit her lip, an embarrassed expression fell across her features as she recalled the night before, "I think it rolled under your chair..."

The Doctor suddenly remembered the previous night too. He cleared his throat feeling his cheeks burn, "Yes… Of course it did," he agreed.

River couldn't but smile as she admired him holding the screwdriver to his ear to check the settings, completely oblivious to his lack of clothes.

* * *

The Doctor padded down the corridor now wearing his socks and boxer shorts. River held tightly onto his hand, his shirt looked especially big on her.

In the kitchen the Doctor clicked the kettle on and set down his favourite mug. River perched herself on the counter beside him. She trailed a finger around the lip of the mug. The water boiled and was promptly poured over the teabag the Doctor had placed inside. River watched him work with interest; it wasn't too often that she got to see the domestic side of the Doctor. He passed the finished tea to her, smiling as he watched her warm her hands against it and take a small sip. Leaning forward he was thanked with a tea-tasting kiss.

The Doctor stood directly in front of her, hands pressed down against the counter either side of her. He sighed, looking down at the floor. River set her drink down and gently rubbed her hands across his surprisingly lean shoulders. For a moment she smiled, how could he look this good underneath that nerdy jacket and bow tie? She pulled him towards her, arms tightly around his neck, legs wrapped around his middle, planting soft delicate kisses wherever she could reach.

"What's wrong?" she whispered in his ear.

"Nothing," he lied.

The hands sliding around her waist and giving her a squeeze stopped her from asking anything else. He hid his face in her neck. The realisation had set in somehow – he was getting married. He knew now how Amy Pond had felt trying so desperately to run from a day was going to come no matter what. He didn't want to run from River; but marriage was such a strong word. River pushed him away gently; she stroked his hair back and forced him to look at her.

"We don't have to," she reassured him.

He shook his head – He wanted this – He did, he was just – scared.

* * *

"Have you got everything?" the Doctor leaned against the doorframe looking down at the many bags that River had packed and moved out into the Pond's garden.

"Yes!" Amy cried, "For the hundredth time! Yes!"

The Doctor folded his arms awkwardly, "Sorry"

River stepped up to him, she held tightly onto his shoulders, "Don't sit up there for years," she told him quietly, "Don't take forever to make up your mind. Please" She pressed her forehead against him before kissing his unwilling lips. He refused to look her in the eye. Secretly, she knew what was going to happen. River left him stood in the Tardis doorway, leaving Amy to say her goodbye.

The feisty Scotswoman dragged his sleeve up and drew a very firm and painful line up his arm with a pen she'd had tucked into her pocket, "You WILL be at the wedding on time," she told him sharply, "And that mark, had better still be there. Understand? Or else! Got it?" The Doctor stared at her. His life in her hands, Amelia Pond, "Now go… Do the space… thingy… Go"

* * *

The Doctor stood alone at the controls. The Tardis was silent. So this is what it felt like? The night before his wedding.

"Hm," he pondered aloud touching the odd button with his fingertip. A rustling noise made him turn sharply, "Rory?"

"No!... I mean yes… Well… I mean…. Hello," the nurse waved nervously from across the other side of the Tardis.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well… It's a long story actually… I'm supposed to keep an eye on you… What with the… _Stag do_," he whispered the last part as though it was forbidden.

The Doctor shook his head confused, "I'm not having a _stag do_"

"Oh… Oh right… No… Of course not… No… Overrated… Please don't take me back when I'm old. Amy said I can't be old when I go back"

The Doctor laughed loudly, "Amy Pond! You are brilliant! HaHaa! You'll age!" he pointed at Rory, "HaHaa! Brilliant!"

"What… What does that mean?"

"It means… We can't be late"


	35. Chapter 35

**Backread if necessary - This update is really overdue. Apologies. **

The pair sat at the kitchen table. The Doctor wore his 'unimpressed' expression. Rory, opposite him, wore an almost embarrassed and apologetic one. Across the wooden table between them lay an array of dishes. Bowls of jelly, custard, stacks of fish fingers and platefuls of jammy dodgers.

"This isn't what happens at a stag party… is it?" The Doctor eyed Rory's very loud child's party hat suspiciously.

"Well…" the nervous man considered the Doctor's fez, "Not… Not exactly…"

* * *

"I hope he isn't doing too much running," River thought aloud as she attempted to tame her unruly curls.

"I'm sure he's just fine," Amy grinned dropping heavily on her bed, she pulled a bridal magazine towards her and began to flick through the pages with a lick of her finger, "So what's your dress like? Did you pick your own ring? What's the colour scheme?"

River turned from the mirror; she smiled weakly, she hoped she'd done right in trusting the Doctor to plan everything.

* * *

The Doctor stared blankly at Rory for a few moments.

"What's it like?" he asked finally.

"I'm sorry?" The nervous man looked totally confused. Many hours had passed since they'd spoken. He'd almost forgotten how to engage in conversation.

"Being... M... Mm...Married" The Doctor struggled over the concluding word as one might struggle climbing over an overly large wall.

"It's... Well there's not really much difference," Rory knew deep down that Amy would kill him for not 'bigging up' the whole scenario to the Time Lord.

"Then what's the point of it all?" the Doctor lent back in his chair, fingers interlocked thoughtfully behind his head.

"Well... It's... It's showing a commitment. And... Um... "

The Doctor put his Fez gently onto the table in front of him, "It's a big day," he mumbled saving Rory from the awkwardness, "The biggest and _the most_ important one" Rory just stared at the Time Lord, completely clueless as to whether or not he should interject and agree or to sit and simply listen. He saved from the opportunity of interjection as the Doctor merely sat staring hard at the wooden table in front of him, "Rory," he sighed finally, "I've got a problem…"

* * *

Amy Pond laughed so hard she nearly fell sideways off the bed. In her hand she clutched a 'Tardis blue' envelope and single rectangle of 'Tardis blue' card. River's indignant glare did nothing to assist the Scottish red head in calming down.

"I hope this is a joke," the archaeologist declared taking the invite from Amy and examining the Time Lord's unreadable scrawl, "I hope they all aren't like this… I'll kill him"

* * *

"You're allergic, to marriage?" Rory eyed the Time Lord with pure suspicion, "I've never heard of that before"

The Doctor looked up in earnest from his place sat on the console seat, "It's true," he insisted.

"I… I don't believe it," Rory wished his wife was there right now. As much as he hated to admit it, she could handle the Doctor almost as well as River could. Right now; the Doctor needed taking into hand, the nurse just wasn't sure that he was capable of doing it.

* * *

River Song tucked her blaster into the holster strapped over her tight black pants, "Ready?" she asked letting her dress fall to the floor again conveniently covering the less than traditional boots. Pond was only half surprised by the fire power that River had insisted on taking to her own wedding. River had pointed out that the Doctor brought trouble with him wherever he went; their wedding would be no exception.

"Ready," she agreed. Amy looked down at the vortex manipulator on her wrist – this was it. River collected her bouquet and let her hand come to rest on Amy's arm. In a flash they'd gone.

* * *

The Doctor stood looking like a sulky child – correction – a very smartly dressed sulky child. His black trousers, as formal as they were, still hung at half mast, showing off the boots he refused to take off. His shirt was brilliantly white and crisp; his black jacket sat just right, the tails fell neatly behind him. The top pocket did not bear the traditional matching flower; instead his sonic screwdriver poked out in unruly fashion. The only objects which vaguely matched were the screwdriver and the deep emerald green bow tie and suspenders. His hair was combed perfectly into place; he looked almost respectable.

Rory stood staring at the console controls, "What do I press first?" he mumbled.

"If you'd just let me…"

"If you turn up late Amy will kill me; so I'll do this…"

The Doctor sighed, rolling his eyes in mild frustration. He stood tapping his foot; arms folded, patience growing increasingly thinner.

The nurse finally dared to press the closest glowing blue button. The Tardis began to lose control, throwing them this way and that with violent shudders.

"They're the stabilisers!" the Doctor cried rushing to the console and slamming his hand down firmly on the button again. He continued his way round the controls flicking switches, pressing buttons; pulling levers – pausing for a quick pull of the pinball machine – then finally pulling the dematerialisation lever.

* * *

The church at the Singing Towers of Darillium for the first time contained a full house. People from across time and space had come to see the Time Lord's marriage to River.

River peered through the doors from the back of the church.

"Where is he?" she grumbled, "Why can't he be on time just once?"

"He'll be here…"

Amy had barely ended her sentence when the sound of the Tardis engines reached their ears. The blue box appeared at the right hand side of River's available view. She turned around quickly, beaming widely at Amy.

* * *

The Doctor and Rory stumbled out of the Tardis and rushed to take their places. Rory nervously straightened the Doctor's bow tie before taking his place beside the Time Lord.

As the music began and River started her journey down the aisle the Doctor dared not glance behind him. He wiped a small bead of sweat from his brow and clasped his hands together in front of him to fight off the shakes he'd suddenly got.

"Doctor…" Rory whispered, "Aren't you turning around?"

The Doctor swallowed hard, shaking his head quickly. Rory, having no control whatsoever, turned to sneak a peek at Amy. He waved cheekily over his shoulder; only to have his hand batted down by an agitated looking Doctor. Rory felt suddenly like a naughty school boy daring to take a last glance over his shoulder.

"Doctor!" he gasped suddenly.

The Doctor turned his head towards him in acknowledgement. Rory turned to meet his stare, the panic disappeared instantly, "What?" the Time Lord asked.

"Uh… What are you talking about?"

The Doctor frowned, "You were going to tell me something"

The Doctor turned slowly to look back down the aisle, "Oh," he murmured clocking the towering suited figures at the churches double doors, his eyes clocked several others scattered through the gathering of people. He barely had time to be overwhelmed by how beautiful River looked, "River!" he yelled drawing his screwdriver, "Run!"

Electrical sparks and green sonic light erupted across the room; screams broke the serenity of the whole scenario. River tore the bottom of her dress off in the most ungraceful manner and drew her blaster, "You had to go all out didn't you!" she yelled over the noise firing as accurately as possible at the Silents.

"But I didn't even book them!" the Doctor protested, "Amy! Rory! Get out of here! Go!"

"No!" Rory cried as Amy rushed towards him, "We have to help! We have to…" In a flash the pair vanished.

River was thoroughly thrilled by this sudden excitement, her adventurous instincts kicked in; determined to make an impact on every single Silent within range. The Doctor made a grab at River's free hand,

"You're getting carried away again honey!" he yelled, "Run!" He dragged her, still firing, into the Tardis.

The door slammed shut behind them.

"Run?" she scoffed letting her spent gun drop to the floor, "Tried that once…"

The Doctor glanced up from his place at the controls; awaiting the 'dull' comment.

"It was the best move I ever made"

The Doctor grinned; Time to run.

**_Do you really think they're anything that simple?  
_**

_**I was tempted to marry them off; but do you honestly think it would go smoothly? I don't think so either =P I was especially inspired to end this here after being introduced to Mrs Boreanaz's video to We the Kings - Check yes Juliet. Let's be honest, all that the Doctor and River are going to do is run.**_

_**I hope you weren't too disappointed. Thanks very much for sticking this out until the end - Interface. x**  
_


End file.
